Behind veils of lies
by Nuredhel
Summary: Thranduil of Greenwood has been accused of a ghastly crime and the evidence against him is overwhelming, nobody doubts his guilt. He has to pay for what he has done With his life. But Things are not as they seem, there are Secrets within every Family, some Family Secrets are Deadly. Very AU, Oropher has survived the Dagorlad and Thranduil has siblings. Angst/Hurt/mystery/crime.
1. Until the end of days

**Behind veils of lies…**

 **Chapter one: Until the end of days…**

 **Greenwood**

The crowd was silent, the atmosphere tense and almost unreal. It was a mixture of disbelief and rage and also sorrow and the square was filled with elves, most of them members of the court and some servants. They all stared at the ellon who stood there held by two guards, he was shivering so bad they all saw it and the guards could hear the clattering of his teeth. He looked terrible, his back covered in blood and he wore only a pair of rather dirty pants. The shivering was part because of the freezing cold and part because of fear and the fact that the gashes across his back already were infected and he was running a fever. He was gasping for air, trembling and barely able to stand on his feet. It was unreal, it couldn't be happening, he couldn't believe it and his mind was racing.

The king stood there and he looked so calm, so very majestic but everybody could see that his eyes were bloodshot and he was pale. Some couldn't believe that he would let this happen but they all knew that he was obliged to follow the law, nobody was above it, not even his own son. It was such a tragedy, they all found it hard to believe that it was true but it was, the evidence was overwhelming and so there was no escape. They all knew what he had done.

He stood there and knew that he was about to die, that they would kill him but he was innocent, or was he? He didn't know, that was the most terrible thing. He couldn't remember anything and he had tried time and time again to force his mind to produce a memory, anything. To no prevail and now he was facing the end, he felt tears flowing down his cheeks and he couldn't stop them, even if he tried. He was so weak, so shaken by it all. He had lost all of his haughty arrogance, all of his confidence. It couldn't be real, it wasn't happening, but it was.

He remembered the trial, but only pieces of it, as if his mind tried to protect itself by shutting out the most terrible things, he remembered their eyes though, filled with disbelief and then scorn and anger, disgust. Guilty they had all said, he didn't have to hear the words they were speaking, the sentence was already made before he even entered the room. And yet he couldn't believe it, he just couldn't. He hadn't done it, it was impossible, how could he have done something so awful? He should have remembered if he had?!

He remembered being tethered to a pole and flogged, the pain had been just awful but the feeling of betrayal even worse, the feeling of confusion. Why didn't they help him? Why didn't they believe him?! He was telling them the truth, couldn't they see that he wasn't lying? It had broken him, his heart felt like stone, like an open wound within his chest and when they dragged him back to the cell he had been unable to speak at all. It couldn't be real.

His father had come to the cell that morning, he hadn't noticed at first that there was someone there outside of the bars, staring at him. He was so weak, trembling with fear and pain and he had been unconscious for hours. The loss of blood so great and the loss of faith and hope even greater. His father was crying, it was such a bizarre sight, he had never seen his father cry before, not even at the Dagorlad. He had tried to get up, his limbs didn't seem to obey him, he felt disconnected somehow, like he wasn't really there. His father had gasped and wiped tears of his face with his sleeve, staring at the wall. " I am so sorry son, I am so very very sorry. I wish it was different, I wish I could believe you but I can't, the evidence is undeniable."

He had managed to make a croaking sound. " Ada, I didn't do it, please, I didn't"

Oropher sighed. " I hear you, perhaps you believe that, but we have seen the truth. And there is no running away from it. Not even you are above the law Thran, you will pay for what you did. Even if it breaks my heart."

Thranduil whimpered, he felt dizzy, sick. The sun was rising and he knew what that meant. Oropher turned around, he could barely hear his voice anymore. " For all that it is worth, I have loved you son, by Eru how I have loved you. And with the one as my witness, I never wished for it to end thus. "

He wanted to scream in denial, to beg his father to stay, just to stand there so he wouldn't be so alone but Oropher walked away from the cell slowly and Thranduil heard a few silent last words. " Farewell, you are no longer my heir, no longer blood of my blood. I will never speak your name again."

Thranduil tried to get up again but he couldn't, his head was spinning and he couldn't see because of the tears. Why was this happening? How could it be happening? He understood naught of it all, it was impossible? Or was it? The doubt was the most terrible thing about it all, perhaps they were right, perhaps he had done it? The evidence was overwhelming and he knew it, if he really had done it then…. Then he deserved it, then he really ought to die for his sin, it was just that he couldn't believe this about himself. He just couldn't. He was once more alone in his cell, in just an hour they would lead him to the square where he would be executed and an hour was such a short time but somehow it felt like eternity, because it gave him time to think and remember.

It had started four days earlier, with the feast Oropher had given in celebration of the betrothal of his daughter. Beriah was radiant that night and nobody had seen anyone more happy than her, her betrothed had been more than happy too, he was a very high ranking officer and they had courted for several years. The feast was lavish and grand and there were elves drinking and laughing and having fun everywhere, it had been an awesome evening but it was to end in tragedy.

Thranduil and his two brothers Alagir and Daerion had been having a very good time, they had been drinking and flirting and dancing and Thranduil had teased them both in a rather friendly manner. Both were eying this one elleth and both were way too shy to approach her.

Alagir and Daerion were younger than Thranduil, they had barely come of age when the war of the last alliance claimed so many lives and they had grown up with war and darkness. It had sort of affected them in many ways and it was great to watch them let their hair down and forget about their worries. Thranduil had fought alongside his father in the horrible battles and he was the crown prince, but he was infamous for behaving in a manner that was far from princely and not exactly mature. He was too fond of partying and females and he had no sense of propriety.

Oropher had perhaps spoiled him when he was just an elfling, he was used to getting away with everything and he was also used to others giving in to him and giving him whatever he wanted at all times.

He had fought well during the war, and was regarded as the best of the warriors that remained after the war but his behavior hadn't changed much. His uncle who was Oropher's advisor had often claimed that it would end in a disaster if Oropher didn't do anything to discipline the ellon. Thranduil had never liked his uncle, he was Thranduil's mother's brother and very fond of meddling in the politics of the realm. Thranduil had always regarded him as an ass kisser of epic proportions and he had no respect for the ellon whatsoever.

The night had been very beautiful with a clear sky filled with stars and Thranduil had been drinking a lot. He had been flirting a lot too, he was renowned for his sexual appetite and also for treating the females with a sort of disrespect that made his father very angry indeed. Thranduil could get anyone he wanted and that had made him indifferent to the wishes and needs of females in general. They were just there, readily available and he just had to smile and say some sweet words and then they were all ready to spread their legs for him. Because of this he had no respect for other ellith than those of his family and he usually never bedded anyone more than once. He was like a bee in a field of flowers and he had never thought about the broken hearts he was leaving behind him.

The females bored him, that was the truth, he had in fact also bedded ellyn and he didn't see anything wrong with that either. He should be allowed to indulge himself, he was after all the crown prince. The ellith all saw a crown and a title and it was that they were after, not him, not really. It had made him bitter and he just used them, turned the games they played against them. It was wrong and it hurt many but he didn't care, he had never met anyone worthy of his respect, never.

He could remember some moments from the evening, blurred and strangely distant but they were memories. He had talked to his mother and congratulated his blushing sister, then he had had some more wine and he had wandered off to mingle with the guests. And he had seen an elleth he had never seen before and tried to talk to her but she had sort of shied away from him and then things got really blurred. He remembered having more wine, a very dark and tasty red which had left a peculiar taste in his mouth but he hadn't really disliked it, it was just unusual. After that he could just remember having talked to that very pretty dark haired elleth and then it all disappeared and the next thing he remembered was waking up in his own bed, ripped out of his sleep by someone grasping onto him rather violently.

….

The party had been going on for many hours, there were still marry making going on, some were dancing or singing and others were gathered in groups chatting away and the atmosphere was relaxed and peaceful. Oropher and his queen were engaged in a very interesting conversation regarding the annual collection of nuts which the master of the royal household wanted to postpone due to a very cold summer and Oropher had been on the brink of agreeing when there was a scream coming from the entrance to the palace. All heads turned and they saw an elleth running like she was being chased by orcs, she was almost naked and bloody and her eyes were wide with fear and pain.

A guard had managed to catch her and she just screamed, terrible keening wails that cut through everybody. She was a mess, she had a huge bruise around one eye, and several cuts and bruises elsewhere too. She had bite marks on her neck and chest and her left wrist was probably broken, she had lost several teeth and the blood covering her thighs and torn dress told the rest of the tale. The elves just stood there in shock, nobody really knew what to do or how to react. The elleth just collapsed, she lay there shivering and gasping and the healers came running, the leader bent down, touched her cheek and she let out a piercing wail once more. Everybody cringed and the king just stood there, in disbelief and with a terrible feeling of something being awfully wrong. The queen was in shock too, she just clung onto him and Alagir and Daerion came running, confused and scared.

The healer shook the young elleth gently. " Easy, what has happened? Please, tell me!"

The elleth sobbed, she was a pathetic sight with the blood and the bruises and nobody had seen an elleth looking that distraught before. " I…I was talking with him, and he wanted to bed me…but I didn't want to…and …and…"

She screamed again. " He just didn't listen to me, he …he took me anyhow"

The healer was pale, he stared at the king who stared back, eyes dark and almost distant. They had all seen Thranduil trying to flirt with this elleth earlier that evening, and they had seen her turn him down over and over again.

The guard tried to keep his head calm in spite of it all. "Who? And where? Where did he take you?"

She gasped for air, her eyes rolling in her head, she looked as she was about to pass out. "He…he dragged me into his room. He…he hit me and I couldn't…he was so much stronger than me… Oh Eru it hurt"

She shuddered and lifted her hand to cover her breasts and they all saw a dark bruise on her lower arm, as if she had tried to shield herself from a strike. It had a very strange pattern, as if the one hitting her had worn a ring and the ring had been rather large with a sort of elongated shape in the middle. Oropher made a strange sound seeing it, he took a step backwards, as if he was about to drop to his knees. Only one person wore a ring like that, he just knew it, this was it, his son had gone too far this time.

The guard stared at her, he couldn't really believe this but she keened again and started rocking back and forth. " He said I had to obey since he was the prince, but I didn't want to do it, I didn't and I told him that but he didn't listen…Oh Eru, I am so sorry!"

Oropher was shaking all over, in total disbelief and shock and the queen was pale. Her brother came running, he stared at the elleth then he obviously tried to get the situation under control. "Guards, escort the king and the queen to their rooms, make sure they are safe."

He turned to Alagir and Daerion. " Daerion, get your sister to her rooms, and then make sure that the gates gets closed. Alagir, come with me. We are going to your brother's room, this has to be investigated."

They all hurried to follow the orders and the healers carried the elleth to the infirmary, she was becoming more and more hysterical and the healer had never seen anything like that before. She had been badly beaten and there was no doubt about her having been raped, her injuries were rather apparent. Alagir followed his uncle towards Thranduil's room with several guards in tow behind them. They just burst into the room and all stopped, staring with disbelief at the scene in front of them. Thranduil lay across the bed, naked and on his stomach, there was blood everywhere and the sheets were smeared with it. He was snoring slightly and the place stank of wine. There were several empty bottles by the bed and they saw what had to be remains of the elleth's dress on the floor, he had apparently torn the garment completely apart.

Alagir let out a gasp and his uncle swore, he gestured towards the guards. " Grasp him!"

The guards were just as much in shock as they were, they hesitated for a few seconds, then they ran to the bed and grasped the prince by his arms, pulled him out of the bed. He was bloody and there were scratch marks on his skin in several places and he gasped and blinked and didn't appear to understand anything at all. Alagir could just stand there and watch, he couldn't believe it. He just couldn't. His brother could at times be an arrogant ass hole and he would get furious if anyone tried to deny him the things he wanted but this? Oh Eru no, not this! Thranduil was obviously very drunk and unable to understand the situation, the guards dragged him away and Alagir just stood there. His uncle patted him on the back with a strange strained pale smile. " Go to your father Alagir, he needs you now, and so does your mother. You have to be strong now, for us all."

Alagir just blinked, he didn't quite understand until the reality of the situation struck him like a hammer. If Thranduil indeed had raped this elleth then…Oh Valar, he knew the penalty for rape, and since he was the next heir in line that meant that he would be… No, gods no, he didn't want this, not like this, never.

The palace was in an uproar, everybody was in shock and the rumors were flying around like a swarm of wasps. Thranduil was put in a cell and nobody was allowed to speak to him and the royal family were in complete and utter shock. The healer managed to calm the elleth down and she did confirm that it was Thranduil, that he had raped her while being drunk. Oropher just collapsed when he heard that and the queen passed out. The palace had become a very somber place by the morrow, it was very quiet and almost sinister and nobody dared to raise their voices. Nobody really dared to believe it, that the prince had raped that elleth but he had, there was no doubt about it. They all knew the penalty for rape, but would he get off the hook since he after all was royalty?

Thranduil hadn't understood anything when he woke up in that cell, his head hurt, he felt sore and cold and he couldn't remember a darn thing. At first he thought it had to be some sort of a prank although a very poor one, then the guards told him although they had been forbidden to speak, they just respected his skills as a warrior and he had saved them both during the long war. He couldn't believe it, he refused to believe it. He roared in disbelief, commanded to be let out and slowly, very slowly he started to realize that it was real, that it was true, that he had done something absolutely horrible. He had been given some food and drink and a pair of pants, that was all. He hungered for some company, for anyone to come to him and say that of course they believed him, for course he hadn't done it. But they never came…

He was so cold, so alone and so in despair, he felt like an animal trapped in a cage, ready to do anything to get out of there. He couldn't understand at all, had he really done something that awful? He had never forced himself upon an elleth before, yes, he got angry if they turned him down but never to such an extent? He had been drunk alright but he had been drunk before too and he hadn't raped anyone because of that. He didn't understand, sweet Eru it couldn't be true!

He just sat there in the cell, feeling completely miserable and utterly lost. When the night fell and it got dark he wept, he couldn't let the guards see his tears but they did hear him and perhaps they did feel some sympathy for him after all for one left a small candle burning, just a tiny flicker of light.

The next morning the council was gathered to discuss what they were to do about it, it was a trial but there was no doubt about the result. The elleth was almost unconscious, she was hysterical once more but told the entire tale once again, of how he had hunted her the entire evening and how he had been unable to accept that she didn't want to sleep with him.

Nobody had problems believing that, they all knew of his reputation regarding females. The guards told everybody what they had seen in the room, the sheets were displayed in all their horror, the elleth confirmed that yes, she had been a pure maiden before he so brutally robbed her of her innocence and the ring he had been wearing were compared with her bruises and it was a perfect match.

Thranduil was brought before the council too, he was shivering with both rage and confusion and fear and tried to remain calm, knew that it was his only chance but his own doubt became too great, too strong. He broke down in front of his father's stern and sorrow filled gaze, confirmed that yes, he had tried to pursue the elleth earlier that evening but he couldn't remember anything more than that. He was so afraid, so terribly so, and so ashamed for the grief he had brought upon his family. His mother had locked herself into her rooms and refused to speak to anyone and his sister was just crying. Alagir and Daerion were in disbelief and they had been weeping too, he could see it.

His personal servant Galion stood there, the usually jovial face drawn and empty, the eyes distant. Thranduil tried to explain, tried to come up with all sorts of explanations but they all fell to the ground like dead birds, they all rung hollow, untrue. He broke down in tears when the king in a thin and broken voice told everybody what his fate was to be, flogging and then beheading the day after. Some couldn't really believe that the king had done it, sentenced his own son to death like that. But it proved that he was strong, that he was just and that he didn't let anyone get away with crimes.

Thranduil had been in shock when they dragged him out and flogged him, his mind a blur and his body felt like it wasn't even his own flesh and blood. It wasn't until later when he was back in the cold cell that he really felt the pain and it made him whimper and moan and for the first time since he was an elfling he was crying out for his mother, desperate for the comfort of her arms. But she didn't come, nobody came, not even the healer.

As his fever rose he started to hallucinate and he saw awful images, things so terrible they made him scream like a child. He started to believe that yes, he had done it, he had raped that elleth, he was guilty and this was his just punishment. He was seeing Lord Namo and begged him for mercy, he sent sobbing prayers to the one, ended up on the dirty floor in a heap of shivering limbs and tears. In the end he passed out.

He thought that his brothers perhaps had visited once but he wasn't sure, and he knew that he wouldn't see his mother again, ever. It was terrible, it made him lose it. His father's final words were almost as bad and he didn't try to protest at all as they chained him and dragged him out to the square. The crowd was so silent, so eerily so and he heard that some wept. He didn't know for who they wept, it couldn't be for him most surely. The chief of the guard pushed him into the middle of the open square, a block was made ready and the ground was covered with straw, the sight almost made him swoon. He gasped for air, tried to breathe, tried to hold his head up high and at least die like a prince but he couldn't, he was too afraid. All he could think about was his mother and he whimpered. " Nana…please, I am so sorry…"

His uncle hawked, broke the silence, he stared down at the ground. " My fellow elves, I am very sorry to inform you that the victim of this horrendous crime have passed away, the healer found her this morning in her bed, she had taken her own life with poison."

There was a gasp from the crowd and Thranduil felt his knees shiver, they were ready to give out on him. All he could see was that block, and the axe that stood leaned up against it. He had no strength left, absolutely none at all. He just hoped that the executioner was a good one, that it wouldn't hurt. If he really had done it he knew that he would face damnation also on the other side, but he didn't care, all he could think about was the hurt he had caused his family.

He was forced down, had to kneel in the dirty straw and it just became too much for him, he let out a terrified wail and he felt to his shame that he did lose control of his bladder and pissed himself, like a child. There was silence, everybody was frowning and looking towards the entrance to the hallway where the headsman had been waiting. What took him so long? Thranduil was close to passing out, he had been close to death before, while fighting but this was nothing like it, he hadn't known then when death would touch him. He wasn't ashamed to weep like a baby, he was so cold, so terribly cold.

A servant was sent to fetch the executioner, perhaps the ellon hadn't heard the signal Oropher had given? He was gone for quite a while and the prisoner collapsed, fell onto his side and just lay there trembling, there was a murmur coming from the crowd, this was unheard of, and very undignified. Even if the crime was horrific there ought to be at least some dignity in this, they were elves, not savage edain. The servant suddenly reappeared, panting and he looked a bit pale, he ran up to Oropher and whispered something into his ear and the king went beet red and then he went rather pale again. He gestured towards the guards. " Bring the accused back inside, it will have to wait until tomorrow. The headsman is drunk!"

Everybody gasped out loud and there was a racket of another world as the guards grasped Thranduil and dragged him along back to the cell. He had lost consciousness and there were some glances thrown at him that could hold some sympathy. The king was swaying on his feet and the two younger princes were moaning, both looked like it was them who just had been saved by the bell.

He woke up in the cell once more, at first he didn't understand but then he remembered and he broke down crying once more He was left alone, a servant left a bowl of stew by the door, and a cup of lukewarm tea and he drank it all, desperate for some warmth. He was stinking, freezing and so terribly confused and scared. This had to be a nightmare, a complete nightmare. He had never even dreamed about something like this, something so awful. He crawled back into a corner, curled up and just sat there, silently weeping, feeling as though the very gods themselves had abandoned him.

He had fallen asleep or perhaps he had passed out, he wasn't sure. But suddenly there was light, and he lifted his head with a groan, he shivered still, wished that he had been dead, then it would have all been over with. He saw someone moving outside of the cell and he gasped when he saw that it was his mother. She was pale and looked thin and weak but there was a sort of savage light in her eyes. There was a soft clatter of metal and the door was opened. She entered the cell, carrying some clothes and he just stared at her, didn't understand. " Nana?"

His voice was raw, barely audible. She sent him a swift smile. " Please son, get these clothes on, I am here to free you."

He gasped for breath, his body felt like jelly once more. " Nana? Why? Why are you helping me?"

She bent down, started dressing him with trembling hands, she was obviously in a hurry. " What kind of mother would I be if I allowed one of my children to be put to death like some mad dog?"

He stared at her. " Ada doesn't know?"

She shook her head. " Of course not, hurry son, please. Let not this be in vain. "

He felt a burning sensation of haste, he didn't care about his pain or the dizzy feeling within, he got the clothes on and stood on shaking legs. He had to get out of there, he had to. She let him lean onto her as they left the cell, in the shades he saw another elf, it was Galion. Elhedril kissed his cheek swiftly. "There is a secret passageway out of the basement. Galion knows of it, and there are horses waiting for you. Ride hard, don't stop until you are a long way from here."

Thranduil choked a sob. " Nana, please, believe me. I didn't rape that elleth, I swear!"

She touched his face as if she was seeing it for the first time. " I believe you son, you are passionate and proud and you are spoiled too but not cruel, never cruel. I know you like I know my own flesh. "

She grasped his hand, kissed it desperately. " Flee my son, while you can. Galion will look after you."

He had problems drawing breath, tears were filling up his eyes once more. " Oh naneth, I love you, until the end of days."

She nodded, tears in her eyes. " I love you too, go now, hurry!"

Galion grasped him by the arm and dragged him along, he turned his head once and saw her standing there alone, a small fragile creature and he felt his heart being close to breaking for real, forever.

Galion helped him down through winding passageways, through natural caves and even across an underground river. Thranduil was shivering with fever and he was so in despair he didn't pay any attention to where he was going. Galion was a servant but he was also a very good warrior and a typical silvan, he knew the forest and the land and before long they were in a cave where two horses stood tethered. Thranduil tried to get a grip of himself. " I don't think I can ride, I am too weak."

Galion nodded. " I know, I will sit up with you. But we have to hurry, we have to reach the river."

Thranduil frowned. " The river?"

Galion nodded. " Yes, there is a boat waiting there, we will have to leave your father's realm Thran, it is no other option."

Thranduil felt how a wave of sadness and grief crashed down onto him. He gasped, closed his eyes. " I know, it just…it feels like a defeat"

Galion helped him onto the horse, sat up behind him. " Call it survival Thran, it is no defeat."

Thranduil just sat there, allowed his servant to steer the horse through the dark night. He was leaving it all, his life, his name, everything. It could perhaps be called survival but to him it was most certainly a defeat anyhow. He sighed and felt how the horse took him further and further away from everything, his home, his family and his reality. He had no idea of what was to come, he just sat there passive and silent and Galion sighed and urged the animal on. They didn't have much time, the guards would discover that the cell was empty soon enough, he believed Thranduil when he said that he was innocent. He had known his master to do stupid things before but never anything like this, there was something going on.

Galion clenched his teeth together and swore to himself that he would stand by his friend's side, no matter what.


	2. What was seen

**(Warning, this chapter contains slash, don't like it, don't read )**

 **Chapter two: What was seen…**

The healer was busy, terribly busy. He was crushing some herbs into a paste with a bit too much energy and everybody who knew him could tell that he was clearly upset. He threw another handful of leaves into the bowl and hissed at the strong smell they emitted. He was so confused, and he didn't know whether or not he should believe his own gut. But there was something there, an ache almost, telling him that something was off.

Gilorn had been a healer for ages, he had served underneath the first king of Beleriand and his maia wife and he was skilled, and even more so, he was able to see things others would not even notice. His great sense of duty and experience made him a very valuable member of this court and everybody listened to him but this? This had shocked him to the very core. Something wasn't right, he just knew it. His gut instinct had kicked backwards the very moment things had started happening, there were things that just didn't make sense at all.

He took a deep breath, his gentle amber eyes rather dark and his face looked closed, as if his mind was far away. He put the bowl away, went through it all in his mind. The elleth had clearly been beaten and raped, no doubt about that. The injuries were real but he had reacted to something most peculiar. According to the guards there had been lots of scratches on the prince's back and shoulders, but there had been no blood underneath her fingernails. Second of all she had been deflowered but as he washed her and took care of her injuries he became aware of something lacking. There had been no semen present, none at all. The injuries were so peculiar, and as he went through what he had seen in his mind he started to believe that it had been just one thrust, to break her hymen and cause bleeding. It had to have been done with some sort of object, for the pattern of tears wasn't right. If a male had tried to fuck her it would have looked different.

As he had thought of it more and more things started to seem wrong, just wrong. The blood on the sheets hadn't coagulated as it should have, if the prince had emptied all the wine bottles by his bed he ought to have died. He had slept way too hard and the confusion could be a symptom of too much alcohol but it could also indicate the use of drugs. Gilorn squirmed, he felt so unsure, he had no clear evidence of this but his experience told him that something was off. The bruises on the girl were peculiar too, they faded too fast and he had a suspicion that she had been given something to stop her from hurting, a pain killer which altered the healing process.

And then her death, tragic and terrible and everybody knew that the prince had caused it. Gilorn started to doubt this, and doubt it a lot. She had indeed swallowed poison but the scene he had found seemed almost theatrical, unreal. She had lain in the bed with a goblet in her hand and he had started to feel the doubt right then. It had sort of triggered his suspicion and caused him to look at everything yet again. The position was wrong, anyone who ingested that particular poison would die convulsing violently, often soiling themselves and throwing up and the body would look rather disheveled. She looked as if she was in peace, eyes closed and mouth only partly open and her limbs had been straight. He had checked the goblet and there was a trace of poison in it, the residue was very visible since it looked almost like tiny specks of silver. He had opened her mouth and saw that she had bitten down onto something, very hard. Two teeth had been cracked and her tongue cut too. There was some fresh bruising around her wrists and he had started to realize that she had been forced to drink the poison.

Gilorn wasn't stupid, he knew the elleth had been murdered but why? The most immediate suspicion was that she had been silenced, that someone had made sure that she couldn't speak. Everything started to point in a rather disturbing direction, the prince could be innocent after all. But why would anyone frame him? Why would anyone have him accused of something that terrible? The answer was what made Gilorn most frightened, and he suddenly realized that he didn't know who he could trust with his suspicions. It could be anyone! And at the same time they could all be in danger. So, what was he really to do?

He had no idea, there was no evidence to strengthen his claims and he had only his intuition to show for. That wasn't enough, he had to see if he could come up with something better, something that would remove the doubt from his mind and show him the real truth behind all of this.

Galion and Thranduil did make it to the river and left Greenwood behind, it was hard on both of them but there were no choice now. Thranduil felt like a wreck, Galion did tend to his wounds and his fever went down and he started to feel better physically but he was a mess otherwise. He missed his family and his home and he still couldn't believe that it all was true. Galion had to be the one to keep them safe and see to their needs now, and he did it without complaining.

One evening when they were sitting by their small campfire Galion started boiling some herbs in a small pot and Thranduil stared at his friend with confusion within his eyes,. "What is that? It smells just awful?"

Galion nodded. " It does, but it has a purpose mellon. By now your father must have sent messengers to every elven realm, telling of you and the escape. We will not be welcome anywhere, in fact I suspect that we might get hunted if the elves learn of who we are."

Thranduil hadn't thought of that, but he knew that Galion was right. His father would never let him get away, his pride demanded that. " I understand but what does that goo has to do with anything?"

Galion smiled, a rather stiff grin. " We are too recognizable, I cannot do anything about your height but that hair of yours? It has to change."

Thranduil cringed, his hair? He was so proud of his hair! " Are you gonna dye it?!"

Galion had to laugh, the horror in his friends voice rather apparent. " Yes, you are gonna become a brunette and I think I will go blonde. And there is more."

Thranduil looked horrified and Galion stirred the pot with a wry grin. " I will pluck your eyebrows, and cut some of your hair and that fair complexion of yours has to go as well."

Thranduil just gawked, he managed to speak only after a few minutes. " How?"

Galion was as calm as ever. " Nut juice, it will make you look tanned."

The prince cringed and looked sad. " Alright then, I guess we ought to change our names as well then?"

Galion just nodded, added some more water to the pot. " Yes, of course, from today you are Doron and I am Iorthon,"

Thranduil scoffed. " Old pine, that suits you well."

Galion removed the pot from the fire and filtered the goo through a piece of cloth before he got Thranduil to sit down and applied the stuff to his hair. The prince cringed but didn't protest and Galion did a good job. He did pluck Thranduils eyebrows and it sort of transformed his face, he looked much younger and a bit feminine and he sniggered and suggested that they could pretend to be a couple. Thranduil just moaned. His mother would have wept had she seen this. Galion cut of most of his hair, now it only reached his shoulders and looked rather dry and stiff and Thranduil touched the sad remains of his lovely locks with profound sadness.

Then Galion had him strip and started smearing nut juice over him, in an even layer. Thranduil just sighed, feeling as if he no longer had any influence on his own life. He was just getting dragged along like a plow after a horse. " It is a good thing you have kept yourself so fit Thran, we will have to pretend to be sell swords or something like that. Makes it more believable."

Thranduil just sighed, he was so resigned these days, there was no joy left in him, no spark. He felt like laying down and fading, what was the purpose of going on now? He had lost everything! Even his name! He almost felt as though it would have been for the better if they had executed him, at least he would have been buried within his beloved forest. Galion finished the make over and then he mixed some new dye and took care of his own hair and appearance. They were heading west towards the coast and there were human settlements everywhere. Some could be hostile towards elves and they had to be careful. Luckily the horses were plain palfreys bred by humans and their clothes were worn and simple.

Galion looked nothing like himself when he was done and he grinned and washed the pot. " At least we will be unrecognizable to anyone who doesn't already know us. You look almost like some Noldo with your hair dark Thran."

The prince scoffed, he just rolled his eyes. " Valar forbid, so, where are we heading?"

Galion smiled and sat down, opened a pack of lembas. " There is a small city to the west of here, we can try to blend in with the crowd there and see if we can make a life for ourselves there."

Thranduil just sighed and leaned his chin onto his hands. " A living? I wouldn't call it that, it will be like just existing, not truly living."

Galion stared at his friend and the usually gentle eyes were hard. " Thran, I do not doubt you, I really don't believe that you did what you were accused off, but think about it for a moment. You were too easy to be picked out as the guilty one. If some ellleth had come rambling about being raped by Alagir, do you think they would have believed her?"

Thranduil shook his head. " No, he is almost afraid of females."

Galion nodded. "And there you have the point I am trying to show you. If you had showed some more self-restraint and tried to behave like a prince and not like some whore this would never have happened."

Thranduil snapped his head around, he was staring at Galion with huge eyes. " I beg your pardon?!"

Galion just nodded slowly. " You heard me, you have acted like some darn dog in heat, heck, I am surprised that something like this hasn't happened before"

Thranduil glared at his friend who didn't react at all. " Do you mean that she hurt herself?!"

Galion just grinned, a rather nasty grin. " Yes, or someone helped her. I have heard of such cases, among humans that is. A female manages to accuse a male of having molested her and then he has to pay her a huge compensation. Perhaps this girl tried to do the same?"

Thranduil hissed " No elleth would stoop so low! And if she indeed tried to get some money out of me or my father then why did she kill herself afterwards?"

Galion shrugged. " Perhaps she realized what she had started and regretted it? Didn't dare to come forth and tell the truth? Maybe she understood that she had in fact murdered you?"

Thranduil just stared at Galion, sometimes his servant had a mind that was rather dark, he didn't see that side of the normally very merry ellon that often and he was glad. " There is something about this that feels just wrong Galion, I think you maybe right, and then not."

Galion frowned. " What do you mean?"

Thranduil cocked his head. " It feels wrong, I think this could be something way worse than an attempt at blackmail, Why I don't know, I just feel…bad"

Galion shrugged again and put some more wood onto the fire. " Never mind, we are here now, and we have got to make the most out of it. Let's eat, and tomorrow we will ride. A new life awaits us old friend."

Thranduil just sighed. " If you can call it a life!"

The palace had become a very silent place now, there was little laughter to be heard and people saw that their king was struggling with a deep conflict within. He had of course sent a message to every other elven realm telling of what had happened and that his son was to be regarded as an outlaw and that he ought to be arrested if he showed up but at the same time he felt relieved that he had gotten away. He of course suspected that Elhedril had drugged the headsman and organized the escape but he never confronted her. She had done what he couldn't and he was grateful in a way.

Life sort of returned to normal but there was a shadow hanging over them all, a constant nagging doubt. Alagir and Daerion refused to believe that their brother had been guilty and Beria was somewhat confused and didn't really know what to believe. She sought comfort with her fiancé and Oropher did give them permission to become married rather fast. Normally a betrothal should last a year but regarding the circumstances a wedding would do a lot to raise people's mood. And so Beria got married and there was feasting and partying going on for days and the realm seemed to have returned to normal again. But there was a huge gap in their heart where the oldest son ought to have been and Elhedril was suffering.

Oropher had loyal people everywhere but nobody saw any sign of Thranduil and Galion, it was as if the very earth itself had swallowed them. The king liked to imagine that his son was safe somewhere, and happy too. It was naught but a pretty lie but he wanted to believe in it. The alternative was too grim. And so years passed by, Beria followed her new husband to the coast and settled there since he was working at the grey havens as an emissary. Elhedril was slowly succumbing to her grief and so one day she left Greenwood and sailed, much to the immense sorrow of her family and her husband not the least. They had shared everything for hundreds of years, not having her by his side felt just wrong. Alagir was a nice young ellon but Oropher doubted that he was capable of being a king, he was too soft and malleable. If Alagir had been tougher Oropher would have abdicated and followed his wife, but he couldn't. He had to stay for his people.

Darkness was creeping in from the south and spiders were multiplying day by day. The warriors were out fighting this menace all the time and lives were lost quite often. The king didn't have time to think of his lost son any more, he missed him but he did never let anyone see that. He only focused on his work and became rather withdrawn and cold. Then one evening some riders came galloping into the courtyard, screaming for a healer. Three of the elves were held by others and were unconscious and when the healers came running they saw that it was Daerion and his uncle and one of the guards who had been following them. They had set out for Imladris early that day and the king had wanted them to ask the famous healer Elrond for some advice regarding the spider venom.

Oropher was aghast when he saw that both his youngest son and his brother in law were injured and unconscious. He ran alongside the stretchers to the infirmary and was met by Gilorn who immediately started working on the wounded elves. The guard didn't make it, he died before the healers could do anything for him and Gilron swore and concentrated all of his efforts on the remaining two. He cut their clothes off and the head of the guards told the king that they had been riding along quite peacefully when something had spooked Daerion's horse. His uncle had immediately tried to catch up to stop it and the guard had followed. Apparently they had ridden straight into a huge pack of giant spiders and they had fought well but before the rest of the group could join them all three had been bitten.

Gilron saw that Daerion had two bites, one in his shoulder which wasn't that deep but oozing blood and poison and another in his thigh which was much nastier and deeper too. You could survive one bite if you were lucky, but two? Gilron saw that Oropher realized the facts and went pale, he gestured for one of the other healers to escort the king out. " We will do all we can my liege, but it looks bad!"

Oropher was shaking and his eyes wide with disbelief and sorrow and he made a keening sound as they gently escorted him out of the room. He could not lose yet another child, no, it couldn't be true! Daerion was the strongest of his remaining sons, the one most like himself. It could not be happening, he could not be dying.

Gilron cleaned the wounds and got as much anti venom as he could into the young prince, he was a strong and healthy ellon, there could be a chance but it was small to say the least. Then he focused on Daerion's uncle, the ellon was bitten just once, in the arm and it was a small bite. Gilron knew that the small spiders were just as poisonous as the large ones, in fact they could be way worse but something about the bite seemed almost contradictory. The tissue around a bite would normally swell and create a red raised ring but there was nothing like that here. But there was a lot of poison, thick black goo that stank really bad. With that amount of venom present it was no wonder why the ellon was unconscious.

Gilron started to clean the wound but stopped after just a few swipes with the cloth, what the? He took a small tongue presser and touched the venom, it was way thicker than normal? Like tar? Was this something new? The spiders did evolve and if they had a new sort of poison it didn't look good at all, he would have to check this out. He took some of the goo and placed it in a small glass jar and put it aside for later. He gave also this ellon a huge dose of medicine and had him stitched up and put bandages on the arm.

It became a waiting game by now, Gilron just prayed that they would make it and he got so tense and frustrated he started to work on the dead guard to make him look presentable when his family came to claim the body. He undressed the dead elf while humming a lament and washed the ghastly wounds and closed them. It always made him feel just terrible to see a dead elf, it was unnatural and just awful. Gilrion suddenly noticed something odd, he was about to close the dead guards eyes one last time but saw something that shouldn't have been there. There were small red dots in his eyes, tiny bleedings. Gilron felt how a weird sense of foreboding rushed through him, what was this? People with that type of hemorrhage usually had died from asphyxiating, not venom. Unless these spiders had venom that would paralyze the victims muscles? That was a terrifying though. Gilron bit his lower lip, turned the body over and started to look at the wounds once more, in detail. They were spider bites beyond any doubt but the guard had to have been laying on the ground when the spider bit him, why would he be on the ground whilst being attacked by spiders? It didn't make any sense.

He grasped a probe from a tray and started to examine the wounds one by one, probing them. They seemed normal except from one, it was so soft, and the edges a bit torn too. It was as if the spider had bitten on top of another injury? Impossible! Or perhaps? Gilron made a mental note of it. He went over to check on the two wounded ones and it was apparent that Daerion wouldn't make it. He was barely breathing by now and turning blue and Gilron had to accept the defeat and called for the king and Alagir to come and say their goodbyes.

Daerion passed away just before midnight with both his father and his brother by his side and both were devastated and barely able to understand how this had happened. Before an hour had passed the entire realm was in full mourning and laments were sung everywhere. Oropher just collapsed and they all feared for his life, with all the loss he had suffered lately they feared that he would fade. Alagir was in shock and he didn't really appear to be grieving at all but it was a façade, he was completely crushed and at the funeral he just broke down and lay there bawling like some child.

Gilron found it odd that Oropher's brother in law didn't wake up until after the funeral and he was in surprisingly good shape too. He complained about being dizzy and nauseous and he was of course just as devastated as the others when he was told of Daerion's sad passing, but he hadn't suffered any long term effects of the bite. Gilron had feared that this was some sort of super venom but apparently it only kept the victim immobile for a long time. With the realm in mourning Gilron could finally start to experiment on the samples and he was looking forward to some days of hopefully fruitful work.

Thranduil and Galion had indeed made themselves a living, they had settled down in a town near the coast and now they worked at a local inn as bouncers. It had a bar and sometimes the mood got a bit too festive and the sight of two elves usually made even the most rowdy guest surrender and leave. Thranduil had been appalled at first, the humans disgusted him and the scents and the filth and everything made him want to fade. But Galion did make him go on, and for each day things got a little better. He got used to it, the lewd language, the insults and the badly hidden invitations. He got used to the food and the wine and the smells and he got used to working for a living. He was in fact starting to enjoy this new life in a way, he felt so free, so unrestrained.

He became the cooks favorite for praising her food and he was also held in high regard by the stable hand for being able to handle even the most difficult of horses. Galion was popular too, he had a rather nice voice and would sing songs that were way too indecent to be sung elsewhere and he could also play cards and juggle. Thranduil learned more about humans now than he had in all of his previous life and he started to understand them better. They lived such short lives, no wonder why they tried to squeeze as much into it as possible.

The two of them shared a room, and a bed. At first it was out of necessity alone but soon it became more than that. Thranduil hadn't felt even the smallest tingle of desire towards anyone after what had happened. He had sort of been shocked into a complete celibacy but when the natural urges slowly returned he didn't dare to approach anyone. He was terrified to, in fact the very idea of touching someone made whatever small spark of desire he felt disappear completely. Galion had understood and it had happened sort of naturally. They shared a bed and would snuggle up together in their sleep and they were rather used to each-others bodies.

Thranduil had been shocked the first time it happened, he had woken up way too early and found that peculiar until he moved and realized that he was hard. He had grunted with discomfort and tried to go back to sleep but it was impossible. He had resigned to just laying there staring into the darkness when Galion stirred behind him. They had gotten so used to sleeping like that it just felt comforting to feel his skin against Thranduil's own but now he tensed up and his friend immediately reacted. " Something wrong?

Thranduil just shook his head, he had dyed his hair again the day before and some of the smell still lingered, it made his nose itch and he almost sneezed. " It…it's just that darn smell."

Galion had put an arm around him and Thranduil froze, he tried to slip out of the bed but Galion sort of manhandled him and before he knew it he was on his back and Galion was staring down at him. His eyes were soft, and there was a gentle smile on his lips. " You do not need to lie to me Thran, I know what it is that is bothering you. "

There was a hand gently touching his aching length and he couldn't help himself, he gasped and his hips jerked involuntary, the contact was just too much, it felt too good. Galion whispered. "Relax, allow me to help you. I do really want to. "

Thranduil could only groan as Galion started to stroke him, very gently but with enough force to make it almost unbearably pleasurable. He had been with other males before but none had treated him thus, with such tenderness and yet with such skill. Another hand was cupping his balls and the sensation made him gasp for air and buck and he felt that the hand pumping his length was getting slick with his pre come. He surrendered, needed it so bad, needed it like he needed water and air and it had been so long, too long. Before long he was whimpering and sobbing and begging his friend to finish him off, he couldn't stand it anymore but Galion just sniggered and kept the same slow almost torturous pace. He really knew what he was doing, teasing and touching and he bent down a bit and gave one of the prince's nipples a firm but gentle little nip that made Thranduil yelp and squirm and buck his hips against the hand that created such long longed for pleasure.

Then his friend laid down next to him and turned him onto his side and they lay there belly to belly and Galion grasped them both in one hand and the sensation was more than he could bare. A thumb caressed the most sensitive spot he had almost teasingly and it was all it took. He shuddered and groaned Galion's name and then he came so hard he was seeing sparks. Galion moved his hand vigorously a few times and spilled too and from then everything changed.

He knew that he wasn't in love with Galion or anything like that, he did love him as a friend but this was just for comfort, for joy. He had never allowed another male to take him but he would allow Galion that privilege and the frequent love making made him more relaxed and less gloomy. When they lay there entwined on the bed, covered with sweat and so very satisfied he could for just a while pretend that the world was a good place, that everything was fine and that Galion was all that he would need to feel happy.

They had stayed at the inn for a few years and everybody knew them, the innkeeper of course knew that the two shared a bed and he didn't mind it at all, elves were after all not humans but he had warned them that some would dislike the way they lived and so they never touched or caressed each other while in public. It felt weird but they accepted it, they were in the world of humans now and had to adapt. One evening a group of travelers came by, they were merchants and Thranduil stood at the bar talking to the innkeeper when he heard the word Greenwood being mentioned. He immediately started to listen and what he heard almost stopped his heart. The merchants had been there to trade and from their conversation Thranduil learned that his mother had sailed and that his sister had married and moved on. But he did also learn that his youngest brother was dead and that darkness was threatening to engulf the forest. It made him shiver and he had to retire early that night.

Galion just held him when he told of what he had heard, the warm body and the steady heartbeat of his friend kept him there, kept him in control of himself. Thranduil shivered and wept, missed his mother, missed them all and Galion kept stroking his hair, whispering soft words to him. After a while he calmed down but he felt a desperate urge to forget, to hide the grief and sorrow behind other emotions. They made love again and he begged Galion to be rougher than normal, to help him wash the dark feelings away with pleasure. His friend did comply and took him rather hard and in the end Thranduil came screaming into a pillow, shuddering so violently Galion had to grasp onto his hips hard to stay in place.

Afterwards he wept silently for his brother and Galion just held him through the night. He couldn't return home, there was still a death sentence on him but he missed them all, Eru how he missed them. For the next days he was acting rather strange, withdrawn and silent but he slowly returned to normal although he would sit and just stare into nothing rather often. Galion made sure that he didn't get too caught by his grief and before the year had ended things were back to normal.

In Greenwood the battle against the spiders and orcs made the elves move north, to a pine forest near Emyn muir. There Oropher built a huge wooden palace and it became a beautiful place filled with light and joy. Unfortunately sorrow struck again, Beria lost her husband in an accident and was left with two young sons. She chose to return to her childhood home and she was welcomed by everybody. The sound of children playing made everybody happy and Oropher could even be seen smiling when his grandsons were running around his feet, having fun.

Beria was strong, she didn't let her grief overcome her and she kept her strength but she had become very quiet and didn't seek the company of others as often as before. Being a widow she couldn't remarry and she admitted that she would sail as soon as her boys were old enough to manage without her. That news didn't get very popular with the rest of the family and her uncle in special was almost begging her to reconsider. He claimed that both Oropher and Alagir did benefit from some female company, and she reminded him of his sister. Even those words didn't make her reconsider but she would stay until the boys reached their majority.

Then one morning Beria was found in her bedroom by her maid, dead. She had apparently gotten out of bed at night, taken a walk in the garden and slipped on the doorstep and broken her neck. It was a freak accident but one that left the entire family in shock and now some started to mutter about a curse having been cast upon the royal family. It couldn't be natural that so many died, like that? The palace was thrown into a year of grieving once more and Oropher started to look old, to look faded. The light in his eyes was gone and his movements had become stiff and slow, like those of an ageing adan. Some whispered that the king probably would succumb to his grief soon if he didn't abdicate and left for the havens.

The boys were as stricken as the rest, too young to really understand that their nana was gone forever and Alagir had to take care of them, he didn't really have the time to grieve. He tried to keep them occupied and so they would go for rides and he would teach them to use a bow and he would play hide and seek with them too. Alagir was eyeing an elleth now and it was rather obvious that it was serious for she was returning his feelings and many believed that they soon would be betrothed. Alagir hoped so too, he wanted a family and he wanted lots of children and a house filled with song and laughter. The palace had become a somewhat sinister place to him, even if it was filled with light and very beautiful.

One day they were visiting the old palace, it was slowly crumbling to the ground but it was still standing and he told the two young ellyn of everything that had happened there. They went exploring and he was very glad they had forgotten their grief for a short time. They went through some corridors in the basement, it was still safe and even though most things had been removed there was still a few things left there. The lads found a small crate and it was locked and appeared to have been hidden behind a wall that had collapsed. Alagir grinned at their eager faces and pried the lock open with his knife. The crate contained just a few objects but they did make Alagir go white and pale and the boys stared at him, looking a bit nervous. "Uncle?"

Alagir forced himself to smile, to hide his shock. He carefully picked one object out of the crate, it was a ring. He had seen a ring like that before, on his lost brother's hand. But it wasn't the same ring, this one had exactly the same shape but it was made from metal through and through and wasn't made to be worn. It was ugly, but it would leave a bruise just like that his brother's ring would make. Alagir swallowed a whimper and looked into the box again. It did also contain a small crystal vial with something black in it, it had to be poison for sure, and it did also contain some weird contraption that resembled a hand with long fingernails carved from hard wood. There were still dark spots in the wood and Alagir pressed his hand to his mouth to suppress the need to retch. " Oh Thran…we didn't believe you! Dear Eru what have we done?!"

The lads stared at him with wide eyes, they looked frightened and he put a hand on their shoulders. "Elhedran, Orodhran, please listen to me and listen carefully. You must never ever tell anyone of what we found here, nobody!"

The two elflings bit their lips and blinked. " Not even Daeradar?"

Alagir nodded. " Nobody, only the two of you and I are to know of this, do you understand? This is important! Can you swear to me that you won't tell anyone of the crate?"

The two nodded. " We swear!"

He smiled and kissed their brows" Good lads, now, let's go and play some more."

They left the basement in a hurry but Alagir hid the ring and the vial inside of his jacket. When he returned home he knew of just one person he trusted with this, one person who could free his brother of the accusations and clear his name. He knew now that his brother had been wrongfully accused and he would do everything he could to bring him back. Little did he know of the danger he was getting himself into by doing that.


	3. Plans, sorcery and cross-dressing

**Chapter three: Plans, sorcery and cross-dressing…**

Alagir felt as though he was walking on a carpet made from thin pins, he was feeling so stressed out it took a great effort to put on a normal serene face. The two boys should be old enough to understand the severity of this and heed his words, he just hoped that none of them had a slip of the tongue.

When they returned to the palace he went to his rooms just to think for a while. He couldn't do anything that might arise suspicion, the one behind this could be anyone and he feared for the lives of his nephews and also for his own life. When the darkness fell he got out of his chambers and walked into the garden behind the palace, among all the flowers and beautiful decorations were also medicinal herbs and he knew that Gilorn often spent the early hours of the evening gathering them. He always thought that they would be more powerful being picked after sunset. Alagir wasn't disappointed, Gilorn was there, with a basket and a pair of scissors and he was busy cutting fresh buds from a huge bush. He smiled and nodded towards the crown prince and Alagir nodded back. He pretended to be admiring the lovely pink flowers that covered the branches.

"I need to speak with you, in private."

Gilorn frowned but continued with his work, the tense posture of the young ellon told him that this was serious. " Come to my chambers at midnight, my private ones. There are no guards in that section."

Alagir just nodded and walked on, stopped by some roses to enjoy their scent and then he walked to the dining hall to have some food. Gilorn continued picking herbs and his mind was racing, what was this about? Had the prince gotten himself into trouble somehow? No, Alagir was a nice young ellon, he would never do anything that went against their customs and nobody had spoken a bad word against him ever. He would just have to wait and see what this was about. Gilorn had been troubled for many years now, the substance he had removed from the prince's uncle had indeed been spider venom, but it had been boiled somehow. He hadn't discovered that until just recently when he was trying to break the poison from the huge arachnids down into its basic components and had forgotten a vial of the goo over a fire for too long. He had also discovered that the poison lost most of its potency when that happened and his suspicions had awakened again.

Just after midnight there was a knock on the door and Alagir stood there, dressed as a commoner and with his long blond hair pulled back and covered with the hood of his cloak. Gilorn let him in and closed the door. He stared at the young ellon and saw that Alagir looked very nervous. "Yes? What is it? "

Alagir bit his lower lip, he looked at the floor. " Can I trust you Gilorn?"

Gilorn nodded solemnly, he had taken his oaths and would never betray the trust of a patient. "Of course, how may I help you my lord?"

Alagir took a deep breath, he swallowed, then he reached into his pocket and retrieved the objects he had taken from the crate in the old palace. Gilorn just stared, then his eyes went wide and he gasped, took a couple of steps backwards. " Oh Eru, I knew it, I knew it!"

Alagir had tears in his eyes. " He was being targeted wasn't he? And so have the rest of us too."

Gilorn sank down into a chair, his face like ash. " I suspected foul play, but there was no evidence, no way of telling who was behind it."

Alagir frowned. " And now, is there a way of telling just that now?"

Gilorn closed his eyes, he was trembling slightly. " Remember when your brother died? Your uncle was also bitten but survived. I…I have recently discovered that the poison in his wounds…had been tampered with…"

Alagir hissed, a sound that reminded the old healer of an angry cat. " Gods, could he be behind all of this?"

Gilorn shook his head. " I have no idea, it could have been someone else putting the poison onto him, I have no clear evidence that it is him who is behind all of this."

Alagir sighed, he felt tired, dead tired. " Eru, I pray I am wrong, and that my own uncle isn't the one behind my brother's death sentence, and my other brother's death. Could Beria?"

Gilorn hid his face in his hands. " Yes, it could of course have been just an accident but I did find some strange bruises on her I couldn't quite explain."

Alagir felt like hitting something, hard! " We are being hunted aren't we, being removed one by one. I fear for Ada Gilorn, and for my nephews and for myself. What are we to do?"

Gilorn tried to think fast. " I think that we should try to make sure that your father is safe first and foremost. He has loyal guards but they have been his guards for centuries, if the one behind this indeed is someone close to the family they won't suspect any foul play until it is too late."

Alagir pressed his eyebrows together in a thoughtful grimace" So we ought to get some fresh new sets of eyes placed near him?"

Gilorn nodded. " Indeed we do. Do you know of any?"

Alagir was thinking hard. " I have some friends, not close friends but they are trustworthy. All Silvan and they are not warriors but trained to fight. I think I can get them into the servant staff, and maybe even Ada's personal staff."

Gilorn smiled, there was a mischievous glimpse within his eyes. " I can help you, if some of your father's servants suddenly takes ill it should be a piece of cake to replace them with fresh new ones."

Alagir stared at the healer with narrow eyes. " You would do that? "

Gilorn just grinned. " The goal does sanctify the means, I'll do whatever it takes to keep your family safe my lord"

Alagir bit his lower lip again. " Yes, that brings us to my nephews. What can we do to keep them safe?"

Gilorn made a grimace. " Whatever we do, we cannot arise suspicion, it has to appear as something completely ordinary and expected. "

Alagir snapped his fingers. " I've got an idea. Ada sent Thran to the silvans to be taught about their traditions and ways. The lads are of that age now, it would seem just wise if Ada sent them off for some time."

The healer frowned again. " And how are we to convince your royal father of the necessity of such a decision?"

Alagir smiled. " Oh, I'll come up with something, I think I may already have an idea."

Gilorn sighed and looked at Alagir with his head tilted. " Be careful my lord, you are also in danger now"

Alagir nodded slowly. " I know, I will be wearing arms from now on, and I have a good friend who can act as my lifeguard although he appears to be a scholar."

Gilorn clenched his teeth together. " Are you sure that this is enough?"

Alagir shrugged. " I do not know, honestly. But I will take no chances, be sure of that."

The healer hid his face behind his hands, shuddered. " Your brother was innocent, I should have known that. And yet I have done nothing to clear his name."

Alagir sat down too, looking very tired. " There was nothing you could have done, believe me. Keep your head low, don't attract attention and keep your mouth shut. I just pray that we will manage to flush the monster out of the closet, the sooner the better"

Gilorn just nodded. " I pray for that too."

Alagir got up and touched the healers shoulder gently. " I will do whatever I can, trust me on this but keep this between the two of us. You may need to tell everybody of what you have found in the end."

Gilorn nodded and Alagir left the room and went back to his chambers through the servants quarters and some back doors rarely used. He didn't want anyone to see him.

The next day he went to Oropher and started discussing the current situation, he managed to sneak some thoughts about his nephews into the conversation. Everybody knew that the boys had started to get to that age when the females start to appear tempting and there had been some rumors regarding Elhedran and a young elleth of a good family. Oropher probably thought it was his own idea when he decided to send the two off for some lessons in Silvan lifestyle and lore. Alagir was thrilled but he had no idea that the damage already had been done.

* * *

Elhedran and Orodhran had been silent about the findings for the entire day, they hadn't said anything to anyone but when they got back home and returned to the safety of their own chambers they couldn't help but talking about the weird incident. Elhedran and his brother were smart lads, and they had been brought up to be trusting and gentle and not the least honest. To them lying to someone was rather hard and they had felt how their uncle had been visibly shaken by the things they had found. They knew of their older uncle and the thing he had done and they were not stupid, they could put two and two together, it triggered their youthful imaginations and they were chatting away way into the night, wondering if the things they had found could clear their uncle's name and make him come back.

Neither of them knew of the secret passageway that lead from their rooms to the next apartment, it had been made as an escape route in case of an attack but the lads had never even learned that it was there. It was just a very narrow corridor, barely lit at all and dusty and full of cobwebs but someone was using it. And someone was listening too. Later the corridor was empty, things had to be done, the plan had to be put into action faster than planned, the brats could ruin everything.

* * *

Elhedran and Orodhran left a week after, Oropher had ordered them to stay with the silvans living north of the palace for a few months to learn more about the forest and its natural rhythms from them and also to learn about the ancient lore and traditions. The two young ellyn hadn't been very pleased with the decision but when they had thought about it for a few days they got excited, they would be allowed to hunt and travel with the silvan and they saw it as a great adventure. In the sindar culture they were still little more than elflings but if they had been silvan they would have been regarded as adults and they were looking forward to being treated with respect.

Alagir had started to avoid being alone, he always had someone with him. He had for some years now tried to court this one elleth and everybody anticipated that he soon would pop the question but he hadn't found the courage to do that yet. And he felt that he had somehow ignored her over the last years. He hadn't moved forth at all, the relationship had been at a standstill and he was afraid that she was getting tired of this and would decide to move on and seek someone else. He was very fond of her, she was a very sweet and beautiful elleth from a noble family and Oropher was also rather pleased with his choice. If he went ahead and became betrothed to her his father would most certainly bless the union, but how could he talk about marriage when the situation was as it was? He didn't want to place her in harms way. No, when the family once more was safe he would propose, if she still wanted him.

The palace was rather quiet these days, the two young ellyn had been a source of much laughter and joy and when they weren't around neither were their friends. Alagir was in a way glad things were so normal, the chef was heard cussing and accusing the butler of having stolen the wine he wanted to use for a special dessert and the staff of servants had their own intrigues and gossip. Then two of Oropher's favorite servants suddenly took ill, both got a severe rash and the healer quickly determined that they had touched some poisonous plant and needed a break. Two new servants were promptly brought forth to take their place and Alagir did sigh a deep sigh of relief. His father was probably safe, at least he hoped so.

Two weeks flew by, it was midsummer and the celebration was grand as always. The fact that Elhedran and Orodhran wasn't there did of course put somewhat of a dampener on the party. They had always managed to do some horrendous pranks during the celebration like adding too much alcohol to the punch or greasing up the privy seats. Alagir knew that the silvans would be looking after them and he didn't think that much of the two lads these days. He believed them to be safe but a week after the celebration a rider came to the gates and he had ridden hard for the horse was sweating and panting. A guard came forth to hold the horse and the rider dismounted and ran into the palace as if his pants were on fire.

Alagir was sitting with his father going through some reports when the riders ran into the throne room and tossed himself down in front of the king, the ellon almost collided with the floor. " My liege, I have brought news from the village by the river, it concerns your grandsons."

Alagir went white and he almost collapsed, Oropher just stared and his guard had to discretely shake him out of the state of catatonic shock. " Yes?"

The voice was trembling and the rider kept his eyes fixed upon the floor. " There has been an accident my lord, the two young princes and some other youths were playing in the woods when they were attacked by a wild boar. "

Alagir felt cold sweat running down his back, no, it couldn't be, it just couldn't…"

Oropher's beautiful blue eyes were wide and showed only fear. " What happened?"

The rider swallowed hard. " Elhedran is okay, he isn't hurt, Two young silvans were injured but none were killed, unfortunately Orodhran has gone missing. Nobody has been able to find him, and they have tried very hard. The silvan has the best trackers of all but there has been no sign of where the lad has gone."

Oropher almost collapsed and Alagir felt how his internal organs seemed to have been transformed into a sort of goo. He could barely breathe, his nephew was missing, how could that have happened?

Oropher sat down, his face looked like that of a wraith. " Get Elhedran back here, and send my best warriors over to help them in their search. We will not stop until my grandson is back where he belongs, with us"

Alagir bit his lip so hard he felt the taste of blood, he feared that the bright young ellon could be dead already. Sweet Eru, it couldn't be so, no, it couldn't! The Gods could not be that cruel? After just a few minutes the whole palace was in an uproar, elves were scurrying around everywhere and Alagir saw that his uncle came running. He was wearing just a bathrobe and his hair was wet, he had to have been in the baths. " Is it true? Dear Eru, don't tell me it is so?"

Oropher was still looking rather grey and his eyes were distant and filled with pain. " Carvarion, I am afraid that yes, it is true, Orodhran is missing."

Carvarion just blinked and went very pale and Alagir tried not to stare at him, if he was the one behind it he was a very good actor indeed, but who else could it be? " They are searching?"

Alagir nodded. " Yes, they will not stop before he is found."

His uncle sat down, he was dripping water onto the polished floor tiles and didn't seem to even notice. " How could this happen? How?"

Oropher just shook his head as if in denial and Alagir saw that Carvarion was trembling a bit. Damn, if he really truly knew naught about this then who could have tricked them all like that? Who could be the guilty one? Alagir rested his chin in his hands and closed his eyes, he felt as though he had let them all down and his beloved nephews more than anyone else.

* * *

The village had become a rather quiet place over the last couple of years, there were few people visiting anymore and the inn was struggling. The plague had passed through this area and more than half of the population had died. The two elves had of course been unaffected by the disease and they had been truly shocked by how the awful sickness had taken lives. They had been unable to do anything, people dropped dead around them and Galion had for a moment believed that this was the end of the world.

Thranduil had been aghast and also scared by it all, the way the human society had completely crumbled around them and showed both the worst and the best sides of the human race. They had seen parents abandon their own children and also seen those who refused to leave a dying person behind, even though it was a stranger and it meant certain death. And now the village was more or less dead and nothing really happened anymore.

Galion had talked about moving on, perhaps going to the coast and trying to make a living as fishermen or something but Thranduil was a bit reluctant. He was afraid to hear the seagulls, he had never felt even a hint of the sea longing but he was worried that he might change when they got to the coast. He didn't want to leave middle earth, he wanted to stay in spite of it all.

So they stayed there, with little to do and little to talk about other than tales of the days of old. They hunted sometimes, they would help the survivors in any way they could even if it meant that they had to dig up potatoes or harvest wheat. Both learned a whole set of new skills now and they also learned more about themselves.

Then one evening a traveler came by, he was an elf and Thranduil immediately went into hiding in their rooms while Galion who was more anonymous looking and knew how to speak with a weird accent stayed behind to speak with the tall darkhaired Noldo. He was coming from Imladris and going towards the havens and had taken a sort of detour to gather as much lore and tales as possible. He wanted to record everything for later and he turned out to be a rather nice person although a bit old fashioned with a very stiff upper lip kind of attitude. Galion pretended to be a silvan of very simple upbringing and acted as if he was a bit daft and the stranger had no second thoughts about telling him everything of the situation in elven realms. Galion was shocked by what the elf told him and as soon as he could leave without arising suspicion he excused himself and left, claiming to be tired and in need of a good night's sleep.

Thranduil was eagerly awaiting his return and Galion sat down on their cot and reached out, touched his friends hand gently. " Thran, it is bad news I am afraid."

Thranduil swallowed hard and stared at Galion who continued. " Some months ago one of your nephews disappeared, they have found no trace of him anywhere. And your father is fading Thran, it has broken him completely."

Thranduil went pale and for a moment Galion feared that he was about to pass out. " Continue"

The voice was but a faint raspy whisper and Galion looked down at the dirty floor. " Your brother Alagir has a girlfriend, they were supposedly close to getting betrothed. She took a glass of wine from a bottle meant for him, it was poisoned and she is in a coma, nobody knows whether or not she will ever wake up. Your brother is also heartbroken now, in a very fragile state."

Thranduil snapped for air, tears flowing down his cheeks. " Gods, this cannot be true, somebody is behind all of this, mark my words."

Galion swallowed hard. " Yes, I think so to. But what are we to do? There is still that little thing about your apparent guilt, they will arrest you if you return as yourself."

Thranduil bit his teeth together. " Then I won't return as myself, I think I have an idea."

Galion sighed and rolled his eyes. " An idea? How wonderful, what sort of an idea? Nothing that will get us beheaded I hope?"

Thranduil leaned forward. " Do you remember Radagast? He came to visit a few times when we lived just in the forest. I bet he can do something helpful."

Galion looked very worried now, he was almost leaning away from Thranduil. " Are you sure that this is a good idea? He is mad you know? Remember that one ellon he tried to help with a bad case of hiccups? He still thinks he is a squirrel, you can't have any nuts laying around when he is near and he tries to climb the walls all the times, and falls down!"

Thranduil just rolled his eyes. " Yes I know, I know damn it. But we have to take the chance, what if the wizard can do something to help us?"

Galion just shrugged. " I wouldn't count on it Thran, he is more likely to turn the situation into a complete and utter mess, believe me, you will regret this Thran!"

Thranduil just shrugged. " Sometimes chances are made to be taken, we leave tomorrow. I think I remember where he lives."

Galion looked as if his liege just had announced that tomorrow was the final day of Arda and that Melkor had gathered his army again and was ready for the Dagor Dagorath.

The next day they did leave rather early, they had bought two horses with the money they had earned and rode off, Thranduil with a wild flame of determination within his eyes and Galion looking as if he was heading for his own execution. He had promised to take care of Thranduil and watch his back, and so he would but this? This was a wild goose chase and one that only could end in misery the way he saw it.

They rode for days, Thranduil thought he remembered where the brown wizard had stayed the last time they had contact with him but his memory wasn't that perfect after all. The wizard had moved on and so the two elves spent almost three months looking for the illusive Istari. Three months is nothing but a moment in time for an elf but now it was way too long. Galion had almost given up hope when they finally one rainy afternoon came to a river and saw a peculiar figure dressed in moldy moss-covered robes standing knee deep in a river singing something with a high pitched funny voice. It sounded almost like " Here fishy fishy fishy, here fishy fish"

Apparently he was trying to catch some fish by calling for them and Galion just knew it, the brown wizard had finally lost it, completely!

He got aware of the two elves and grinned, sprinted out of the river with his robes held high and Thranduil gasped and stared straight up at the skies, the wizard held his robes very high and he wasn't wearing anything underneath them. Galion felt an instant and almost irrepressible need to retch, he turned green and spun around with a distinct lack of elven grace.

Radagast bowed deeply. " Greetings my fair friends, how may I be of service. Oh, I know you, yes I do, don't I? I am getting confused, you weren't a brunette originally now were you? Oh I am so excited to have visitors, I haven't had visitors since Saruman passed by and that was ages ago wasn't it? Never mind, he thought my brains had rotted somehow, nonsense I told him, brains don't rot, they melt"

Thranduil just gaped at the flow of words streaming from the old man, it was very apparent that he had spent too much time alone. " Ah, honored Istari, I have a problem and I need some help?"

Radagast blinked twice. " A **_problem_** you say? You are such a fine specimen of elf, an ellon in his prime I would say, most come to me hoping to solve **_a problem_** if you catch my drift? Nudge nudge see what I mean ha haha"

The wizard was glaring at Thranduil with a rather wicked glimpse in his eyes, nudging the prince's flank with his elbow. Thranduil blushed. " No, there is no _such_ problem, thank you very much, I do not need any help in that department."

Radagast looked almost disappointed. " No? Sure? I know herbs that could make even a tender reed stiff and mighty like an oak and endurance? By Eru, it makes one last… for days.."

Galion cringed, that sounded both uncomfortable and rather dangerous too. " No thank you, the problem we need help with is very complicated. I need to disguise myself so that nobody may recognize me, not even my own kin, is there any way that may be accomplished?"

Radagast suddenly grinned from one ear to the other, the birdpoop dribbling down his face made him look rather bizarre and his eyes slid slowly out of focus, he appeared to be almost passing out, and there were small shivers going through him, he also made some moaning sounds. Galion frowned. " Tell me, is he high?!"

Thranduil shrugged. "As I kite I think yes, he must have tested his own goods one time too many, but let us hope he still has some sanity left, and magic too"

Radagast suddenly jerked and his eyes got back to normal, he had a sheepish grin on his face. " I beg your pardon my lords, there is a family of field mice living in my robes and sometimes they like to nest up near my…oh never mind, it sort of…tickles. You needed to disguise yourself yes? Ah, I think I may…yes, there is a magic we could use!"

Radagast started running and the two elves followed suit, before long they stood in front of a sort of cabin that had seen better days, to say the least. A huge tree was growing through it and there wasn't a straight wall or line to be seen anywhere. There were more holes than solid wall and it looked as if it would crumble if a flea sneezed at it. The wizard went through his pockets one by one, mumbling and swearing and then he found a key and inserted it in a lock, it was the most redundant lock ever for the door could easily be lifted out of the frame by anyone smart enough to open a door. Galion rolled his eyes once more.

Radagast rushed inside, there was just one room and it was filled with bottles and kettles and containers of any kind and it was a mess. It looked as if a drugstore had been hit by a series of tornadoes, one stronger than the other. Radagast started going through everything with a frightening speed, the two elves had to duck as pots and tools and scrolls went flying by their ears and they stared at each other with huge eyes. Thranduil was finally starting to doubt the wisdom of this, and doubting it a lot.

Radagast let out a howl of joy and pulled something out of a pouch that looked so old and worn it could have been made before the light of the trees was ignited. It did stink and Thranduil took a long step backwards, Galion did too. Radagast didn't notice, he held two crystals in his hand, both with a leather cord attached to them and both were pretty and blue and rather harmless looking. " Now, this is what you need. Put these on and it will make you appear as someone else to everybody who sees you but be aware, if anyone else than yourselves sees your reflection they will see the real you so avoid mirrors, shiny objects and still water."

Thranduil looked a bit suspicious. " As someone else? Who then may I ask?"

Radagast made a grimace. " Uh, well, the thing is, the magic creates the opposite image of who you really are. Since you are male it means that you will appear to be females, is that alright?"

Thranduil blinked hard, twice. " Females? What in Eru's name are you talking about? Look at me! I am six foot four, who would believe that I am an elleth?"

Radagast bit his thumb nail, looking a bit guilty. " Well, I guess they will see you as a shorter person, or not. You could pass as a very…uh…masculine elleth?"

Galion sighed. " There were ellith that height you know, back in the first age!"

Thranduil sneered. " And there still are, Noldorin ellith, like that darn Galadriel. They won't let some damn golodhrim female enter the palace just like that"

Radagast lifted an eyebrow. " No? Are you sure? Even if you flutter your eyelashes and smile?"

Thranduil was getting angry and Galion hurried to intervene. " Do you have any parchment here, and pen and ink?"

Radagast nodded. " Yes, yes I do, I think I do, wait a moment, parchment? Oh yes, to write on, I'll see if I can find any, a moment"

Thranduil stared at Galion. " What are you thinking about?!"

Galion had a determined look and he clenched his teeth together. " I have served your family for a long time my lord, and I have learned the handwriting of just about anybody present in the palace plus all of your father's friends and contacts. That of course includes Elrond of Imladris."

Thranduil snapped his fingers. " The healer, we could try to get inside pretending to be envoys of his."

Galion nodded sternly. " Exactly!"

Radagast returned with some parchment and it was old and dry but they had to make the best out of it. Galion got some ink and sat down to write and Thranduil felt himself shiver. He had already lost so much, he couldn't afford to lose anyone else and his heart feared that they would be too late, that his entire family would be wiped out before he managed to save them.

Radagast handed over the crystals. " Now, put them on, and if you want to remove the magic for a moment just speak the right words twice."

Galion sighed, " And the words are?"

Radagast cringed, looked down at the floor and he was blushing slightly. " Ah, well, you see…"

Thranduil scowled. " Is there a problem?"

Radagast looked as if he was afraid that they might hit him. " Uh, the crystals were…made by a rather deranged maia, ages ago. He had a peculiar sense of humor I am afraid, and he was drunk when he activated the crystals and made the command words for them."

Thranduil felt the need to do a facepalm. " I get it, he was a weirdo, so what are the words? Spit it out, we don't have the entire age!"

Radagast sighed and brazed himself. " Alright, the words are as follows; IamsohornyIcouldsuckoffanorc!"

Galion just gaped. " I beg your pardon? Say that again, I didn't catch any of it."

Radagast rolled his eyes, put on a very innocent face and repeated. " The words are; I-am-so-horny-I-could-suck-off-an-orc! There you have it, the whole mess"

Thranduil was blushing, then he went white and red again. " Eru have mercy, I hope we never will have to remove the magic for anyone until we have done what we can"

Radagast just smiled that insane grin again and Galion put the crystal on, he immediately shimmered and now he appeared to be a tall and not too good looking elleth of apparent noldorin race. He pouted and put his hands in his sides. "What are you glaring at?!"

Thranduil was giggling. " Oh Morgoth's balls Galion, you look…well, you don't look good, that is for sure. I have never seen such a pitiful excuse for boobs and your face reminds me of my favorite horse. You won't be bothered by the ellyn, that is for sure. I wouldn't touch someone like that with a pair of ten foot pliers. "

Galion scoffed. " Yeah right, put your crystal on and see who's the fair princess then"

Thranduil immediately put the crystal on and now Galion laughed, and laughed so hard he had problems breathing. " Eru, the only thing you lack is a friggin beard, then you could pass as an overgrown dwarrowdam!"

Radagast grinned too. " The magic works via opposites. Since you two are attractive ellyn you turn into unattractive ellith, I am sorry but that is how it works. "

Thranduil saw his own reflection in one of the cracked windows and cringed, he was almost black of hair but the hair was lifeless without shine and looked like old straw from a stable floor, the face too long and narrow, the nose rather prominent and crooked too. The mouth too wide with narrow lips and the face had a ghastly complexion and the figure?! He looked like a sack stuffed full of old wool, old potatoes and cabbages. He hadn't thought that it was possible for an elf to look bad but this female did look bad, very bad.

Radagast tried to smile. " You could try to convince them that your father was ….an orc?!"

Thranduil sneered and the magic made it look rather menacing indeed. He was terrifying as a beautiful elven prince, as an ugly elleth he was absolutely horrifying, he would have made a balrog run and flee seeking a refuge. " Melkor's stinking balls, I won't let you forget this Radagast, I have never felt this humiliated in my life but if it helps us then be it. At least they won't suspect that this…ogre…is really me!"

Galion shrugged. " Yes, when it comes to disguises this one is rather amazing."

Thranduil sighed and got a grip of himself. " Right, we are both dark of hair so we can pretend to be sisters, and Galion, let me do the talking please?"

Radagast broke into the conversation. " Ah, as you hear you have kept your natural voices so please, try to speak as little as possible? It sort of gives you away you see"

Galion had a very deep voice and it was a bit raw too so he just nodded. " Fine Thran, do the talking, let your velvet baritone complete the deception"

Thranduil was thinking hard for a few moments. " Well then, I think you are Andarë and I will be Altarë, that is fitting isn't it?"

Galion had a hard time stopping himself from giggling. "Fine by me!"

Thranduil nodded to Galion. " Complete the letter, then we have to go."

Galion sighed and bit his lower lip. This was the most insane plan ever, it was so ridiculous it had to work. At least nobody would suspect that the former crown prince of Greenwood was trying to sneak back into the palace disguised as an elleth. The worst thing that could happen was really that they would be told to return to Imladris, rather politely too. He knew the palace guards, they could be rough but never towards females and he turned to Radagast and sent him a rather sheepish grin. " Uh, Radagast, you shouldn't happen to have a couple of dresses now would you?"

The wizard just stared at them and sniggered. " What do you take me for? A cross-dresser? Well, of course I have dresses!"

He went over to an old and apparently scorched bench that looked as if it had been used during the battle under the stars or something like that and dragged a coffin out from underneath it. He opened it and it contained a lot of female clothing, dresses, shifts, corsets and panties. He pulled some of it out. " Now, let me see, the blue one is my favorite, it should look rather good on you young lady, and this one in peach velvet will do wonders for your complexion, and don't forget the corsets and the shifts, after all, you want to look like decent ladies now don't you."

Thranduil held the peach colored dress out between two fingers and his expression said it all. "These dresses were already out of fashion by the time Melian ruled in Doriath?!"

Radagast just shrugged. " Oh but you know, fashion repeats itself, pretend it is some new trend. So get at it, get dressed, I thought you were in a hurry?"

Thranduil moaned and stared at the dress again, it was a monstrosity of velvet, ribbons, skirts and stunk of anti-moth powder. He imagined Radagast wearing it and that thought almost made him drop it onto the floor. Galion tried to look brave. " It isn't that bad Thran, really. Think of it as…armor, yes, as armor."

Thranduil let out a deep sigh and started to pull the dress on, he was doing this for his family, nothing else in the world would have made him stoop this low, nothing! It had better be worth it or he would strangle that darn mad Istari with his own hands. That was a sacred vow, yes, an oath as powerful and unbreakable as that of Fëanor himself.

Translations: Golodhrim: Noldor elves, a not too polite term.

Dagor Dagorath: The final battle at the end of the world.

Andarë: Anda(long) and Rë, female doer

Altarë: Alta(large) and Rë, female doer.


	4. Alone in the dark

**Chapter four: Alone in the dark**

The palace was a rather quiet place these days, the general mood was rather grim and nobody laughed or sang. The king had barely been seen in public since his grandson disappeared and his son hadn't left the bed of his comatose fiancé for weeks. She hadn't wakened up and he was blaming himself for it all. The king's brother in law was struggling to keep things together, he wasn't cut to be a ruler in any way. He was a good counsellor but this was just too much for him. The remaining grandson was inconsolable and had to be kept under constant surveillance so he wouldn't go looking for his brother. Nobody had been able to find the young prince and everybody thought it was a lost case. He was probably dead and buried somewhere and the king would probably follow him soon. There were no longer any hope left in Oropher, no light. He had grown so weak and his servants were in despair. He didn't eat nor sleep and he was slipping away, the very life in him was seeping away like blood out of an open wound.

The guards at the main gate were rather confused when two riders approached them, both ellith and neither what you might describe as attractive. As a matter of fact, they had all seen she-orc's that were both prettier and more shapely. They had to be sisters and rode some rather mangy geldings which had to be at least twenty years old, the horses were well above their best years to put it nicely. The two ellith stopped the horses clumsily and the tallest one handed the top ranking officer a note. It was made from parchment and looked as if it was old too. The officer stared at the two females, both were dark of hair with long faces and an awful figure and what in Morgoth's name were they wearing?

He made a grimace and cocked his head. " Your lord Elrond has sent you to make a list of herbs with hallucinogenic effect from the inner Greenwood area?!Why in the name of Eru hasn't he sent some of his assistants?"

Thranduil now posing as Altarë tried to put on an apologetic and embarrassed grin. " Ah, you see, this is very awkward but….my sister sort of caused a small scandal back in Imladris and we needed to get away from there until the storm sort of blows over and Elrond was very understanding and gave us this assignment. "

The captain just glared at the two, a scandal? What sort of scandal could an elleth that ugly get involved in? " So, you had to leave for a while, do you mind telling what exactly your sister did that meant that you had to leave like this? Alone and without guards?"

Thranduil had to think fast, Galion looked as if he was ready to claw his "sisters" eyes out so he just fluttered his eyelashes and tried to look as embarrassed as possible. " That is the whole problem, it involves the guard. She… sort of have a thing for ellyn in a uniform and…well, she got a little too eager in her pursuit and…nobody wanted to escort us."

The captain thought to himself that it wasn't that weird, nobody would be seen riding in the company of these two she-ogres. And too eager? He shuddered, the idea of being pursued by someone like her had to be a living nightmare.

Galion was grinding his teeth and his eyes shot lightning at Thranduil who hid his smirk, he knew that Galion would find his vengeance somehow but for now he enjoyed tormenting his old friend just a wee bit. The captain sighed. " Alright, I will send for our healer, he will find some suitable rooms for you and give you all the information you need. "

Andarë threw the captain her most seductive smile, the poor ellon winced. " Oh that would be lovely, we are so tired and my sister isn't used to riding, ah well, horses that is. I bet she want a nice soft bed and a good meal."

The captain sent the huge elleth a look that told everybody present that yes, he did believe that. She had to be stuffing her face like an overgrown hobbit to have grown to such a size. He sent one of the younger members of the guard off to find the healer and the two ellith dismounted with a striking lack of elegance. The captain had never seen two more clumsy elves anywhere. It had to be the fact that they were noldor, a silvan or sinda would never suffer from such a lack of grace.

Gilorn was busy mixing some herbs when the young guard entered his office, telling of the two ellith who had arrived. Gilorn was immediately puzzled by this, he had never heard anything about Elrond being interested in the herbs of Greenwood? Well, he didn't really know the famous healer that well anyhow and so he sighed and put down his piston and sent two of his assistants to prepare a room in the servant's wing of the palace. He did notice that the young ellon looked a bit tense and lifted an eyebrow in a confused grimace. " Yes? What is it? You do look as if you have seen an orc or a dragon."

The young guard winced and shook his head. " Worse my lord, those two ellith? They are ugly! By Eru, they are so ugly I don't think even their own mother could have found them beautiful."

Gilorn just shrugged, he didn't care about how people looked as long as they did their job and so he followed the ellon out to the courtyard where the guests were waiting. Gilorn almost let out a yelp when he saw the two, what the heck? The young one hadn't exaggerated at all, in fact the word ugly was an understatement of grand proportions. How could elves have produced such peculiar features? This had to be some sort of hereditary flaw and Gilorn got curious, elves are supposed to be flawless, perhaps these two were in fact peredhil?

The captain bowed his head swiftly, glad to be able to leave the presence of these two harpies who were throwing poisonous glances at each other. Sisters? More like mortal enemies by the looks of it. "Gilorn, this is Altarë and Andarë, they are of Imladris and lord Elrond has sent them."

Gilorn managed to twist his face into a somewhat friendly grimace, but it was hard, he bowed slightly. " Ladies, I have sent some of my people to prepare a room for you, I bet you are tired from your journey?"

The tallest of the two nodded and Gilorn had to blink, he had never seen an elleth that tall, or with such a horrible complexion and figure. She looked like a sack of potatoes! " Oh yes, a rest would be wonderful, I must admit that I am very curious about this place, I have never been outside of Imladris and I know naught of the culture and life here in these woods."

Gilorn tried not to comment on the elleth's rather weird voice and he decided that yes, these two were most definitely not normal elves. " Then I am sure that you will learn a lot during your stay here my ladies, I am looking forward to getting to know you once you have settled in. Do follow me and I will show you to your room, there will be warm water available and also some food."

Andarë put up a silly grin. " Wonderful, my sister smells like an orc's carcass left in the sun for a week and she is always riding upwind from me, a bath will do us a world of good."

Gilorn did notice the angry look on the tallest elleth's face and had to hide a smirk. The two of them had to be rather close and yet they reminded him of two angry cats, hissing and growling at each other. He started walking and the two grasped their bags and followed him, he did notice the weird dresses and Altarë noticed his peculiar expression and sent him a sheepish grin. " Uh, we do have more modern clothes, it is just that…well, we have to wear this as…punishment, yes, as punishment"

Gilorn frowned. " Punishment? Elrond isn't the kind of an ellon who is vengeful, nor does he easily bear a grudge against anyone. What did you do?"

Altarë grinned again and Andarë's eyes were shooting sparks of anger. " My sister tried to seduce a member of the guard, a very handsome member, and young too. It was in fact Elrond's…favorite…guard."

Gilorn managed to hide his shocked expression behind a cough, he had of course heard that Elrond had started wooing Galadriel's daughter Celebrian and that they probably would get married but that didn't mean that the healer didn't indulge himself in some fun every now and then, after all, the noldor were infamous for having a weird taste when it came to partners and he also knew that Elrond was fond of beauty in whatever shape it appeared. The idea of him having a handsome young warrior as a secret lover wasn't all that hard to believe and still…nevermind, he did understand why these two had been forced to leave.

" I am sorry to hear that you had to leave your home, it must be a hard thing to cope with for two…ah…females like you."

Andarë just grinned and tried to look delicate and feminine. " Oh it was terrible I tell you, terrible. I had to leave all my lovely dresses and my friends and my sister had to leave everything behind as well, her cats and her collection of rare and valuable books."

Gilorn opened the door to the right corridor, he found the guest room rather fast. "Cats? And rare books? That is interesting, what kind of books?"

Andarë smiled sweetly. " Priceless books my lord, illustrated erotic novels and instructions from the far east. Very….hmm, instructive?"

Gilorn had to cough again. " I…I see, and the cats?"

There were few cats in the Greenwood and he wasn't used to the animals but they were very valuable due to their ability to rid the settlements of rodents. The shorter ellith grinned again. "Oh yes, she is missing them, all the one hundred and thirteen of them."

Gilorn swallowed. " A hundred and thirteen cats?! Eru's mercy, that many?"

Andarë had obviously misheard him. " Mangy? No, not one single of them has got mange, they are in perfect health."

Altarë was once more glaring at her sister and Gilorn opened the door, relieved that they were at their destination, he wouldn't have been able to endure their presence much longer, what did they smell off? Cat-piss? Or was it moth-balls? " Well, here we are my ladies, I hope you will find these rooms to be to your liking and there will be some food brought to you shortly. The dinner is held in the great hall just before sunset, I will introduce you to the rest of the staff then."

The two just smiled and made clumsy curtsies and Gilorn turned and left, rolling his eyes. He had never witnessed anything like these two, the coming days could prove to be interesting indeed if they continued acting the way they had so far. Cats? And erotic books? The noldor were indeed insane!

Thranduil sat down on the bed and sighed, he hid his face in his hands and Galion sat down next to him, staring at his prince and friend questioningly. " What do you think?"

Thranduil took a deep breath. "This place is so filled with sadness it makes a graveyard resemble a fun-faire. I have never felt anything like this, ever."

Galion nodded. " Yes, your father has built a very nice palace but it is a place of mourning. I wonder if we'll discover anything useful here, we cannot allow ourselves to get exposed in any way."

Thranduil nodded, his eyes were glazed. " We'll see the truth later, when we meet the others here, Eru have mercy but I fear I cannot see my father nor my brother without losing it completely."

Galion grasped his hand and squeezed it. " Worry not Thran, I will help you. If you cause a scene I will come up with some sort of excuse."

Thranduil snorted. " Like you just told the healer that I have a fondness for cats and erotic books? He must think we are utterly insane."

Galion tilted his head and grinned wickedly. " Oh yes, and since we are quite mad nobody will find it weird or suspicious if we act strangely every now and then. They'll expect it in fact."

Thranduil laid back on the bed and Galion sent him a suggestive glance. " Do you want some massage?"

Thranduil shook his head. " No, I am not in the mood for any fun now Galion, and there are probably servants coming with food too. We are supposed to be a bit odd, not perverts."

Galion cringed. " Oh, yes, I forgot to think. The idea of seeing two ellith looking this bad at it is just awful, it will probably make even one of the great eagles go blind."

Thranduil sighed again. " Exactly, so I don't mind your silly jokes on my behalf but keep your hands to yourself."

Galion nodded and felt how the tension and excitement made his body tingle. Everything could happen now, and he just prayed that they would be able to save the remains of the royal family before it was too late.

It was dark, that was all he was sure of. And it stank terribly but after a while his nose had grown insensitive and he didn't feel the stench anymore. But he did feel the cold dank air and the moist rock underneath his body and the old moldy blanket that was his only protection against the cold. He had not seen anyone for the valar alone knew how long and despair was clawing at his heart continuously. He had been in the woods with his brother and his friends and then a boar had come running, he had ducked for cover in a bush and then something had hit him over the head and he had woken up confused and scared and found that he couldn't see and that he was chained to walls of solid rock. He had some sort of mask placed over his head, it allowed him to eat and breathe but his eyes were covered and it was made from metal and he hadn't been able to remove it. Every time he tried it just hurt and he had become so very confused and panic had gotten a hold of him rather quickly. He had clawed at the walls. Screamed for help until his throat felt like a raw wound but no sound was heard.

Nobody came, he was all alone and he had broken down in tears sitting there sobbing like a child. He realized that somebody was hunting them, all of the line of Oropher and he feared that he was to be killed. He was too young to die, it wasn't fair. He hadn't even really lived yet and he sat there in the compact darkness and shivered all over.

He tried to get a grip and learn as much as he could about this hell hole in which he was kept, the chains were attached to his wrists and not very long but very strong and light too. He suspected that they were mithril chains and that was odd for they would be extremely valuable, who could afford such? Anyhow, they were strong enough to hold even an Oliphant and he had just a few square feet of room in which he could move. There was a bucket in the corner and he cringed at the idea of having to relieve himself in it but too soon he had to swallow his pride and make use of it.

He had an old blanket that felt like it was made from wool and that was it. The cell or whatever it was held no other objects and in the total darkness he feared that he would go mad eventually. He heard no sounds, nothing at all and he tried to sing or pray or do anything to keep his mind occupied but it only made the emptiness even greater afterwards. He had never believed that loneliness could be this cruel but it was, it was horrible. He tried to call out for his brother through their sibling bond but found nothing and he started to fear that his brother already was dead. The very thought made him scream in sorrow and denial and slowly he just let go of his sanity and allowed his mind to drift freely within the memories of his life.

When he woke up after sleeping there would sometimes be food left on a tin plate in front of him and with it a jug of water. It was usually just lembas or dry bread or dried fruits but it was food even though it tasted just vile and before he wouldn't even have touched it but now he was desperate. It could be such a long time between his meals and he was ravenous and half-starved when those small meals showed up, he would devour them without any thought of manners, tearing into the stale bread like a wild animal. It was weird but even though his mind longed for death if it could reunite him with his mother and brother his body refused to give up. It tried to stay alive and he couldn't do anything except obeying it.

Then he woke up and felt that he wasn't alone anymore, it was just an instinct, but it was very strong and he gasped and sat up straight. " Is…is anybody there?"

The answer was a pair of hands grasping him, strong calloused hands and he screamed in fear, was he to die now? In the darkness? Like some animal? He tried to fight, but the chains were too strong and before long he found himself thrown onto the floor on his belly, his hands shackled together above his head and he heard someone breathing, felt a faint scent of something that reminded him of leather and horse and he screamed again as hands ripped apart the remains of his clothing. His tunic and breeches had almost rotted away, he had stayed there for longer than he had imagined, the fabric just fell apart and he felt a surge of intense panic as he felt how powerful legs pressed his own apart. No, it couldn't be, it couldn't happen?! He tried to buck, to fight but to no prevail.

Whoever this was, he was huge and strong and determined and the young ellon knew he didn't stand a chance. He screamed until his lungs felt raw, until he saw sparks flying in the darkness of the mask, he screamed until that scream became all that there was. He felt how something hot and impossibly large was forced into him, the agony was unbearable and he heard the one on top of him grunting and panting with pleasure. It made him sick to the bone, when the pain made him pass out he didn't try to resist at all. He welcomed the rest of unconsciousness and hoped that he never would awaken again.

Unfortunately he did, his body ached and he felt light headed, felt as if he was being spun around by a giants hands. There was a hand on top of his head where the mask didn't cover it and he cringed, tried to pull away and the answer was a brutal slap across his mouth. "Don't move or I will cut you!"

The voice was raw and rather dark and yet in a way familiar, the accent was similar to his father's and the sindarin perfect. He froze, his head felt cold, the person was cutting away his hair. The mask covered only his face and was attached at the back of his head with strong straps and now his hair had grown all out and had gotten tangled everywhere. He felt how dirty tangled locks covered him and he sniffed. Why hadn't he died? His back passage hurt so bad he feared he had been ripped apart completely and he felt how slick blood covered his tights. He was dirty, tainted, a wreck. He sobbed and the voice chuckled. " Don't cry pet, I like you. You are pretty and your ass so warm and tight, not at all like your brothers. I think I will keep you here, all to myself."

He lost it, this monster had his brother as well?! " You spawn of Morgoth, what have you done to my brother?"

The voice chuckled once more, a low mean laughter. " Oh Elhedran? He didn't last very long, I did enjoy fucking him though, he was strong but I broke him easily enough. Too bad he didn't survive very long. But you are even better pretty one, I am sure I will have so much fun with you before you are called to Mandos."

Orodhran screamed in sorrow and denial, collapsed into a shivering heap of fear and despair and the voice almost purred. " Can you imagine your brother laying there begging me to fuck him? Oh he did, at the end he spread his legs willingly enough just to be allowed to draw breath for a little longer. I will make you just as pliant and willing as he was before long, doubt me not."

Orodhran just keened, his mind racing and darkness descended upon him once more, called forth by his extreme emotional stress. His brother was dead, and had suffered like he just had. Death was to prefer, he wished that the doomsman would call him forth and do it right away. He couldn't endure the idea of becoming this twisted creature's plaything.

There was a knock on the door and the two tried to appear calm and normal. A servant maiden entered the room and stared at the two ellith with huge eyes. She placed a tray with some light food on a table and left a bottle of wine and some glasses. She curtsied and tried to avoid staring at the two ellith sitting on the bed. They looked like…hags. She had no other word in her vocabulary fitting them. There was pity in her eyes as she left the room, it had to be tough being surrounded by the beauty of ordinary elves looking like that.

Galion lifted the lid of the tray, it was cold chicken and some vegetables, lembas and fruits and a small bowl of a sort of dessert. Thranduil sniffed. " Father still has the same cook, I recognize the smell of the herbs he uses on the chicken. Oh Eru, I remember…"

He sobbed and Galion embraced him. " Shhh, be strong Thran, be strong. Do it for your father, for your brother and nephew. Please."

Thranduil dried tears out of his eyes, he straightened himself. " Yes, I must be strong. I will stay calm, but I will need your help Galion."

His friend hugged him hard. " You can trust me Thran, always. I will never let you down."

Thranduil took a deep breath. " I know Galion, I trust you like none other. Now, let's eat and refresh ourselves and prepare ourselves for what's to come."

Galion petted him on his shoulder. " That's the spirit Thran, let us pray that Eru is on our side in this."

Thranduil closed his eyes for a moment. " Yes, I have never put much faith in the valar, but now I have to. I will crawl on my knees begging for their favor if that can help my family."

Galion just nodded and they started eating, the food was excellent and they didn't speak at all as they ate. There was no need for words, they both knew what to do and what was at stake.

They took a quick bath and got into some clean clothes, they were just as bad as those they had worn fashion-wise but didn't stink quite as bad. They rehearsed their story and tried to understand the situation, there had to be something which could tell them who the culprit was. They sat there in conversation for a couple of hours until Gilorn came by to show them the way to the dining hall. Both noticed that the healer looked pale and in a way nervous, he was always speaking a bit too fast and there was something about his body language that told them he was suffering from severe stress.

Altarë tried to act in a feminine and caring way, it wasn't that easy but the appearance did help a bit. " This place is beautiful my lord, but so quiet?"

Gilorn sighed. " I don't know how much you two ladies know of the situation here?"

Andarë just whispered, it was hard for Galion to disguise his voice and so he pretended to be a bit shy around others. " We have heard that someone has gone missing?"

Gilorn nodded. " Yes, the kings grandson Orodhran, and his son is in a bad way too."

Altarë tilted her head, the gesture would have seemed charming if an ordinary elleth did it, she managed to make it look almost threatening. " Really? I have heard rumors of a curse?"

Gilorn shuddered, he sighed deeply. " Yes, some do speak of such a thing, there has been many tragedies here the last century. "

They approached the dining hall and Gilorn tried to smile at the two guests. " I bet the king will like to meet you, he rarely participates in the normal everyday life these days but today he is strong enough to eat with the rest. And I think his son will be here too."

Altarë managed to squeeze out a sort of giggle. " Oh we have never met royals before, how exiting."

The hall was vast and filled with tables, there were elves eating by some of them and the atmosphere of the room was a bit gloomy. Nobody was smiling or laughing and the minstrel who sat on a small dais at the end of the room with a lyre sang a sort of ballad that seemed most suitable for a funeral. Thranduil had brought a fan and held it in front of his lower face all the time, he had of course seen his reflection in the mirror of their room and knew that his disguise had front teeth that looked a lot like those of an old horse. The fan could be interpreted as an attempt at hiding that fact.

Galion stayed behind Thranduil and kept his eyes lowered towards the ground, he had to play his role well. There were several elves there who he knew and even some he regarded as dear friends and seeing them made his heart ache but he could not approach any of them. Thranduil choked a gasp and Galion knew why. Oropher and Alagir sat at a table placed on a sort of platform at the back of the room. It was a grand place which signaled that the elves seated there were above the others there but both looked as if they were close to death. Thranduil spotted a younger ellon seated behind them at a smaller table, he did look a lot like Beria and Thranduil swallowed hard. This was his nephew, and he had never even met the young ellon. He was pale and thin and there was no energy or light to be seen in his face. But Oropher and Alagir were so much worse, they looked like wrecks.

Thranduil had never seen elves who looked this close to death before, even at the Dagorlad. Oropher was so thin he looked almost skeletal and he was shivering constantly like a very aged adan. Alagir was thin too and looked far older than he was and he had huge shadows underneath his eyes. He was just playing with his food and Thranduil noticed that he wore black, they all did wear black and it was a sign of mourning.

Gilorn walked up towards the platform and bowed with great respect. " My king, my prince. Allow me to introduce these two ladies of Imladris. They have been sent here by Elrond to gather information about certain herbs indigenous to Greenwood."

Oropher lifted his head and Thranduil had to lower his gaze and stare at the floors, his heart was aching and he wanted more than anything in the world to rid himself of the ridiculous disguise and embrace his father once more. But he couldn't, he had to keep his cools and stay in character. The king almost gaped, he had never seen ellith that ugly before, they were obviously siblings and they stared at the floor while bowing very low. Oropher frowned, he had not received any messages from Elrond regarding this but it was no great deal, these two were just ordinary citizens and nobody of importance so perhaps Elrond didn't bother writing.

One of the guards bent down and whispered to the king that the shorter elleth had insulted Elrond by trying to seduce his personal favorite and Oropher understood why they had been sent off like that. Elrond probably couldn't stand them and so now they would have to deal with these two…oddities.

" So, I have been informed that the two of you are sisters? I hope your journey wasn't too hard?"

Altarë answered, hiding her face behind her fan. " Oh no your highness, it was alright, rather boring in fact."

Oropher stared at the two, they were so ugly it was almost hilarious in a way. " I am glad to hear that ladies, I trust that Gilorn will give you all the information you wish for."

Altarë curtsied again, the rest of the room had fallen very silent and there were several dozen elves staring at them. Most of them in disbelief. " We are most grateful your highness, and we are so looking forward to getting used to this wonderful place"

Alagir stared at the two with narrow eyes, if you put a dress onto an orc the result would look even better than these two. How could a female possibly look this nasty? It went against the very laws of nature. " I am afraid that the palace is a somber place now, but by all means, do enjoy your stay here."

The two bowed again and the healer escorted them towards a table where a servant brought them more food. Altarë alias Thranduil had to keep up her appearance and ate with a ferocious appetite that made several others nearby drop their forks with a look of disbelief and disgust upon their faces. He wasn't used to eating that much and so a lot of the food went discretely into the very generous cleavage of the dress he was wearing. But finally the huge elleth stopped eating after having finished a dinner huge enough to fill the bellies of three ellyn her size and the cook was just staring with huge eyes.

Gilorn didn't believe what his own eyes were telling him, and the servants stood in a small group chatting away and he could hear that they too were in utter disbelief. Altarë burped and Andarë made a sort of apologetic grimace which didn't make her look even a bit more attractive, rather the opposite. " Oh pardon my sister, our parents had a dwarf servant, and she was taught a lot from him"

Every elf there cringed and Oropher raised an eyebrow. A dwarf as a servant? That was highly uncommon and very weird and it did explain some of the peculiar behavior they had witnessed. Gilorn managed to grasp a hold of himself, he bowed his head and offered Andarë his arm. " Let me show you our infirmary, I have several scrolls about herbs I am sure you will be very interested in seeing"

Altarë hid her mouth behind the fan again, she appeared to be trembling? Was she afraid of crowds? " That would be nice yes, we are very eager to get familiar with this place, it is so…grand"

Gilorn sighed and walked towards the infirmary with the two in tow behind him and he felt how the elves they met stared. The two appeared to be in awe of the infirmary and Gilorn was very proud of it, it was a place that was kept very tidy and clean and he knew that he had a very good reputation, he hated to lose a patient and he rarely ever did. The two got the scrolls and Gilorn started to get a peculiar feeling while watching them. He walked over to a cupboard and removed some bottles that needed to be refilled, he pretended to be completely relaxed. " So ladies, how is Elrond doing these days? I met him quite often while fighting with the last alliance."

Andarë smiled, it made him cringe. " Oh he is quite well, working all the time as usual."

Gilorn nodded. " Ah, I expected that. I have heard that he is wooing Galadriel's daughter Celebrian? Isn't she renowned for her beauty?"

The ugly elleth nodded. " Of course, she is very pretty yes."

Gilorn put on an almost dreamy expression. " I have heard others describe her golden locks as more radiant than the sun, I bet he will be a very happy ellon whence they have tied the knot"

Altarë swallowed. " Oh yes, her hair is…spectacular. "

Gilorn just smiled but he had already gotten the answer he wanted. Neither of them had ever met Celebrian, her hair was silver like that of her father Celeborn and Elrond would never have sent two ellith off like that without a guard. He would never endanger any females in such a way, no matter how they had insulted him. These two were lying about everything but who were they and why were they lying? He was determined to find out, he had his methods.

Altarë yawned. " My lord, we wish to retire, we are both tired, so if you will excuse us?"

Gilorn smiled and bowed. " Of course ladies, do have a pleasant night's sleep. Tomorrow I will show you our storage of herbs and I do think I have an inventory list as well."

The two smiled and he did notice the weird nervous twitch around the eyes of the tallest of the two. They did most definitely hide something. But what? Were they a threat? Hardly since they were rather easy to spot and he had never seen them there before, and yet… Something about them made his alarm bells go off.

The two took off and returned to their rooms and Galion shut the door and locked it before turning around to see that Thranduil was standing there shaking like a tree in a storm. He did look awful, tears were running down his face and he sobbed quietly. Galion pulled him into a hug and felt how his friend shook. " Oh Eru, this is awful. Did you see Galion? Did you see? It hadn't really started to sink in until I saw them, they are dead, my youngest brother and my sister are dead. And mother has sailed, and my nephew is missing. It…it is simply…"

Galion kissed his cheek gently, caressed his hair. " I know, it is too much but we have to endure and we have to save them. There is someone out there hunting your family Thran, of this I am sure."

Thranduil nodded. " We need to get the help of that healer, we need the information I am sure he has about the deaths. We have to gain his trust somehow."

Galion sighed. " That is gonna be bloody hard I am sure. He isn't the trusting kind."

Thranduil nodded. " I know, but we cannot reveal ourselves, not yet anyhow. We have to be absolutely sure that he is trustworthy. He was very loyal back in the days but it may have changed, we cannot be completely sure about anyone."

Galion sat down and Thranduil did the same, he was sniffing. " I didn't see your uncle at the dinner? Do you think…?"

Thranduil just shrugged. " I have no idea really, it could be him yes but why? Why would he do anything this terrible? He has no reason to hurt us?"

Galion nodded. " You are right, but who then?"

Thranduil hid his face in his hands. " I have no idea, I know ada has enemies, heck, it would be a miracle if he hadn't but I don't know of anyone who hates him enough to want to kill the entire house?"

Galion made a grimace. " Alright, then I know one place we have to visit as soon as possible."

Thranduil frowned. " Oh?, where?"

Galion sent his friend a rather stiff smile. " The royal library. We have to find a way to get in there. I bet that we can find a lot of useful information there."

Thranduil frowned. " Why? There isn't anything there of which I am not already aware? Ada has always told me everything about the realm and its rule and history?"

Galion shook his head. " No he hasn't, there are a lot of things of which you are completely ignorant Thran, things he never wanted you to become aware of. Things that you didn't need to know of and things he thought would shock you."

Thranduil stared at his friend. " Whoa, slow down, what are you talking about?"

Galion sighed. " The fact that your father wasn't just elected by the silvan to become their king, he had to fight for that right and fought he did too."

Thranduil just stared in disbelief at Galion. " What? But, he never said anything about…oh damn!"

Galion just nodded. " Now you know why he was not seen for two whole months, he was recovering from his wounds, he did win the right to rule and he almost killed his opponent but it took its toll of him as well."

Thranduil clenched his teeth together. " And I wasn't told this because? And how come you know of this?"

Galion shrugged. " I am a servant Thran, and servants do always know more of their masters than the masters imagine. You weren't told because he thought that fighting for that title was uncivilized and primitive and he was afraid that you would think it was less honorable giving in to the demands of the silvan and avari. He had to go through a few rather grizzly rituals to be accepted by them all."

Thranduil just blinked. " Such as?"

Galion shrugged again. " His tattoos?"

Thranduil gasped. " Ada has tattoos?!"

Galion just nodded. " As do all Avari yes, to be regarded as one of them he had to go through the marking ceremony, and the silvan too had their tests he had to pass. Thranduil, there is a lot you don't know. And I bet we may find the answer to this in the past. There has to be some sort of diary or document somewhere which may reveal who it is that hates your family this much."

Thranduil sighed deeply. " Right, alright. We'll visit the library, we'll find a way to get in there."

Galion smiled widely. " That's brilliant, stay optimistic. We'll get to the bottom of this somehow."

Thranduil tried to smile. " Yes, let's hope so. "


	5. Hidden in plain sight

**Chapter five: Hidden in plain sight…**

Gilorn wasn't surprised at all when the two ellith showed up the next day, ready to take a look at the herbs they had there. They did know a lot but he did understand that they didn't know enough to be healers, or even a healer's apprentice. He told them a few things which were downright lies and they believed him without questioning even a word and he hid his doubts very well. He didn't really think they bore any ill intentions but he couldn't be sure. Gilorn had become very careful now, he was afraid for his own safety and also that of the others there and he didn't want to take any chances at all.

He had already managed to make sure that someone tasted the food both the King and his son and grandson ate and he had given the cook rather strict instructions. Nothing was to be left unguarded even for a moment. And the beds were checked too and he was glad that they had loyal people placed everywhere and yet he couldn't get rid the sensation of dread and fear. He knew something was going to happen, something terrible and he had no way to stop it for he had no idea of what it was. He gave the two ellith a list of the herbs they had there and he did also show them the herbal garden and he did notice that the tallest one did look a bit distraught by the statue of Oropher's wife which was placed in the middle of the huge garden. She had founded the first herbal garden of the previous palace and it had been her pride and joy so they honored her thus and the tall ellith claimed that she somehow could sense the presence of someone kind and warm hearted there.

Gilorn was getting more and more curious about the two of them, he would have preferred to stay on their heels the whole day but he couldn't. He had to take care of Alagir's unconscious fiancé and he did also make certain potions for the king to give him some strength back. He was fearing that Oropher soon would have to leave for the havens, if not he would certainly pass away before a year was gone. It was such a tragedy and Gilorn was getting the feeling that the one behind all of this was trying to rob the king of everything he held dear, of every friend and every family member that offered him joy and support. It was cruel and vicious and Gilorn shivered when he thought of it. It was something he would have thought that the dark lord himself would be capable off, not a normal living being.

Andarë and her sister excused themselves and went to the small park in front of the palace to relax and Thranduil sat down with a sigh and made a grimace. " He suspects something, Gilorn is a sharp as a good blade, I think he tried to make us screw up our story"

Galion scowled. " Yes, and we did. I realize that now, I remember that blue flower he showed us and told us could cure sores, it is used to treat problems with the bladder! He was testing us."

Thranduil nodded. " I think Gilorn knows something, there is something very cautious about his behavior, like he expects to be stabbed in his back if he lets his guard down."

Galion swallowed. " Is there any way we can spy on him?"

Thranduil sniggered." Spy on Gilorn? Not if you are not a fly, he is the smartest ellon within the court I am sure."

Galion looked disappointed. " Right, so what do we do now?"

Thranduil made a grimace and stared at the ground, he was thinking hard. " The library, we have got to get to the library."

Galion cocked his head and his eyes got narrow. " Do you know how we may enter that without causing suspicion?"

Thranduil smirked. " You gave the perfect excuse remember? I am supposedly very interested in rare books of a rather indecent nature and I happen to know that Oropher has a collection of very old poetry, in fact it is rather famous. And some of the poems are of a …naughty nature."

Galion let out a snort. " Your father has a collection of …indecent poetry? If you told me that ten years ago I would have thought you were insane."

Thranduil nodded. " It is true, I know because he caught me reading one of those scrolls when I was just coming of age."

Galion chuckled. " Aha, he caught you red handed so to speak?"

Thranduil did blush. " Ah, well, more…let's just say certain bodily fluids were involved, thankfully he didn't get angry, he just sat me down to tell me that it would look very bad if someone caught a prince hiding in a dark corner of the library wanking off."

Galion had to stifle a snort. " You are lucky then, my dad once caught me spying on some bathing ellith, he warmed my butt real well. I couldn't sit for a week"

Thranduil sniggered. " I remember your father Galion, he was stern but a good ellon."

Galion sighed. " He was, so, what is your plan, how are you to approach this?"

Thranduil crossed his arms across his chest, it made him look very odd indeed in this disguise. "I have a plan, I will send a note to the king claiming that I may own a copy of one of the scrolls but that I am uncertain of whether or not it is genuine or a fake and that I humbly ask for permission to see the Kings copy to compare them."

Galion frowned and leaned a bit back. " Do you really think that he will allow that?"

Thranduil smiled. " I do know my father Galion, he has always been generous and he has a keen interest in literature. He will most certainly want to help another person like himself and it will also confirm to him that his copy is not a fake. He will say yes, I am sure."

Galion sighed and bit his lower lip. " Well then so, let's hope that you are right."

Thranduil got up and smiled, it made Galion cringe. Those teeth were nasty and reminded him of the teeth of a very malicious and old donkey the tanner had owned when he was an elfling. Darn thing had bitten a huge chunk out of him when he tried to give it an apple. " Let's go, I will find a servant and send a note to the king right away."

It didn't take long before the note was sent and Thranduil and Galion sat down by a fireplace in the main hall to eat a little. Thranduil had to stuff himself again and this time he had come prepared. He had found a small leather pouch he had attached inside of his dress and when nobody was looking he would stuff as much as possible of the food into it. They would have to get rid of the food later on.

A short hour later a servant came walking and delivered a note to Altarë saying that she was more than welcome to use the library and that the king very much would like to know if his copy was an original or not. Thranduil had to hide his smirk and nodded benignly and with gratitude to the servant who promised to bring the words of thanks to the king. Thranduil got up and they walked to the library. It was placed in the basement of one of the side wings and it was huge. In fact Thranduil realized that his father had built a library at least twice the size of the old one and he felt a bit scared by the sight of all the rows of shelves. How the heck were they to find anything useful in there? It would take months just to get familiarized with the titles?

Then Galion discovered that there was an inventory list there and a plan to it all. The library was in fact very well organized and they felt that hope was getting rekindled. They immediately found the shelves with books describing the history of the realm and the elves inhabiting it and they started to check the titles one by one.

After a few hours they were tired, their eyes sore since there was poor light down there and all they had found was pompous depictions of the grandness of Menegroth and the fairness of her great king. And then there were a lot of bragging about family lines, property and several thick volumes that just contained marriage contracts and lists of property. It was boring and it would perhaps have been interesting if you were the kind of person who likes to dig into the past and familiarize yourself with what certain ancestors had owned but it wasn't what they were after at all.

Thranduil was about to call it a day when they heard a door open and they saw that Elhedran entered, he went straight towards a shelf near the entrance and he probably didn't notice that he was alone. Altarë hawked and the poor lad dropped the book he held with a gasp and a smack that sounded like thunder in the silent library. " Ah, I am sorry ladies, I didn't…I thought I was alone"

Thranduil fought the urge to touch his nephew, he saw so much of his late sister in his features and he felt how a strange sensation of protectiveness and love swelled within his chest. Right , he would have to pretend to be the maternal type of elleth. " It is alright dear, we can take our leave if you prefer to be alone your highness?"

Elhedran hesitated, he stared at the two ellith. Darn they were ugly, but their eyes were kind and he sighed and sat down, picked up the book again. " No, you may stay. I…I don't mind some company."

Andarë took a look at the book. " This is a book of spells? Written by Melian herself? Is that really appropriate reading for someone your age my lord?"

Elhedran blushed but he had a sad expression upon his face. " It isn't, but…I just need to…"

Altarë sat down next to him. " Do tell us young one, something is eating at you I can tell for sure, don't keep it locked away."

Elhedran swallowed a sob. " It is my brother Orodhran. You know he has gone missing? Everybody says that he probably is dead but I cannot believe it, I just can't"

He sniffed and the tall elleth handed him a small handkerchief. " Here dear, let it out."

Elhedran swallowed. " I cannot feel him you know? I could before, but at night I am sure I can hear him crying, and sometimes he is screaming and there is nothing I can do. I cannot find him, I cannot reach him, it is as if something is blocking me but it isn't death. It cannot be death. Then he would be in the halls of Mandos and there is nobody suffering there, at least that is what they tell me."

Andarë nodded. " They are right, are you sure it isn't just dreams?"

He cringed. " I am sure, so…I thought that maybe I could find a way to locate him, with this book. But so far it goes way above my head."

Andarë took the book and looked at it, she shook her head. " No wonder, you have to be a Maia to be able to do this. An ordinary elf cannot even hope to use such magic."

Elhedran sobbed and Altarë stared at him with a hopeless glimpse within her eyes, every instinct screamed that she should pull the young ellon into an embrace but it wouldn't look natural at all. " I miss him, I miss him so much, it is like my soul is split in half you know? I cannot endure this for much longer. Uncle is just staying with his fiancé all the time praying that she will wake up and daeradar is fading and…"

He let out a wail. " I am so lonely"

Altarë just wiped some tears off his face with the handkerchief. " There there dear, I am sure you have friends?"

Elhedran sighed. " Yes, but they do not dare being with me anymore. They say we are cursed and they are afraid that they will get hurt if they are anywhere near me."

Andarë shook her head. " That is rather cruel of them I would say, but I do understand too."

Elhedran looked at the female with a frown and Andarë sent him a faint smile. " They are afraid aren't they, someone is trying to kill your entire family or so it seems"

Elhedran went pale. " Oh Eru, you have heard?"

Altarë was thinking fast. " Well, it is rather obvious if you think about it, that many deaths in such a short span of time? Not natural, not for elves."

Elhedran tried to choke another sob. " I know, mother died of a broken neck, my uncle of spiderbites and the uncle I never got to meet is gone missing, they said he was sentenced to die because he raped an elleth but I do not believe that."

Elhedran cringed, he wasn't allowed to say anything about the things Alagir had found nor his suspicions but he somehow felt that he could trust these two strange ellith.

Andarë sent him a rather stiff smile. " What makes you say that?"

Elhedran winced and shifted in his chair " Uh, they tell me all the ellith liked him, he wouldn't have to rape someone to get…you know, some. "

Altarë sent her sister a swift glance, the lad knew something, something he didn't want to reveal. She patted the lad on his shoulder. " Well, if we do go with the idea that somebody indeed is trying to kill your family Elhedran, there has to be a reason behind it."

Elhedran nodded. " Yes, so do I think too, but what? And who?"

Andarë nodded. " A good question young one, nothing like that is ever done without a purpose. "

Elhedran swallowed hard, he stared at the floor. " Can I trust you two ladies?"

Both nodded." With your life young one, we both swear on Eru."

Elhedran stared at them with huge eyes. " That is …serious you know, swearing on the one."

Altarë smiled, a somewhat sad smile. " I know, but we mean it, we both mean it. "

Elhedran sighed and leaned back. " I wish I knew what this is about, but I have not found anything down here. And I have looked, believe me I have."

Andarë cocked her head. " You have? Then you are indeed a very smart young ellon."

It was both reassuring and a disappointment to hear this, if Elhedran had gotten the same idea as they had and found naught then what could they possibly hope to find?

Elhedran blushed and his ears even turned red. " Don't tell anyone please? I don't want anyone to know that I am doing this."

Altarë crossed her fingers in front of her throat. " I swear we won't tell anyone. You didn't find anything at all?!"

Elhedran squirmed. " Well, I found one thing, but I don't know if it is significant at all, I just didn't understand it, that's all."

Altarë tried to smile sweetly, it looked more like a dog just before it bites you. " Well, maybe we will understand more of it? Show us?"

The young ellon got up and walked over to a shelf with a long row of scrolls and books, it was diaries and such and he pulled out a scroll and a book, brought it back to the chairs. " I found this one day I was just sitting here, not really thinking about finding anything significant at all. And I don't understand it at all."

The scroll was a list of names and dates and it was old, very old and fragile. Altarë touched it with reverence, it had to be dating back to the days of Menegroth or perhaps even before that and he feared that it would disintegrate right before their very eyes. The book was a list of names too but was different, it was probably a list of the names of the inhabitants of Menegroth and their family relations and Andarë stared at the scroll and then at the book and gasped.

Altarë sent her a warning glance, they couldn't reveal that they knew too much of the family line, but something was off, something was most definitely off. A piece of the scroll had been wiped clean and names erased. Elhedran stared at the two ellith. " This is the thing I don't understand. Why are there names removed? And what are those names?"

Andarë smiled, a stiff smile. " That is a list of births dear, of the babies born within Menegroth at the time of Thingol's reign."

Elhedran frowned. " Why would anyone want to wipe the names of babies off the list?"

Andarë sighed. " Well, you tell me, I have no idea."

Altarë's eyes had gotten hard. " I think I know, to hide a scandal perhaps?"

Elhedran looked confused. " A scandal? What kind of scandal?"

Altarë did blush. " Uh, I bet you know that sometimes elflings can be born even if the parents aren't really supposed to be married?"

Elhedran sighed and rolled his eyes. " Ladies, I have almost come of age, I do know about the flowers and the bees, I am no retard!"

Andarë giggled, it sounded very strange indeed but then again, these ellith were strange through and through. " Ah yes, so perhaps they wanted to hide a small mishap? Or perhaps an elfling got adopted by another family and the name written again somewhere else?"

Elhedran nodded eagerly. " Yes, maybe some elfling lost its mother or something and got a new name?"

Altarë got pale and snapped the book from the lap of the young ellon, stared at the list of names. " See? This name is added after the others? The ink is a lot darker and the handwriting rather questionable. But… this is so odd"

She went through the book and found the same name again, it was obviously written many yeni later and other names were added after it. A family?

Altarë stared at Andarë and the eyes were wide. " What have we just discovered? Who the heck is this?"

Andarë swallowed and bit her lower lip. " A family scandal of some sort no doubt, but does it have anything to do with the things that are going on here?"

Altarë looked doubtful." I have no idea, but judging from the names around the missing names there could be a connection of some sorts."

Andarë let her fingertips run over the parchment where the names had been erased.. " Guess what, I think I can manage to bring out those words that are missing again, get me some charcoal and some liquid, wine would be fine."

Elhedran was obviously excited, this was a mystery and he forgot his grief and sorrow. He sprinted off and returned just moments later with a stick that was slightly singed at the end and a small bottle of wine.

Andarë smiled and put the scroll onto a table, used some other books to keep it in place and wetted the parchment gently with wine before she rubbed the end of the stick so that a thin dust fell over the parchment. Then she gently rubbed her finger across the erased text and some faint lines appeared. "Back in the days they didn't have good pens, they used feathers and you had to put some pressure onto them to get the ink to flow. It leaves an imprint in the parchment itself."

The lines got clearer, there were also imprints from the text on the other side of the scroll and so it was hard to really see what was written but they could make out some names. Elhedran just stared at them and didn't understand but Galion could see that Thranduil did realize what they were staring at. His eyes were distant and filled with shock and also a fair share of horror and disbelief. He couldn't reveal those emotions to Elhedran so he just pretended to be bothered by the dust of the library. Andarë sighed and pretended to be disappointed. " So much for that, this doesn't bring us anywhere near a solution. "

Elhedran looked very disappointed. " It doesn't mean anything?"

Altarë managed to squeeze out a sort of a smile. "I am sorry dear, but we will keep this scroll for later, perhaps someone is missing a relative or something and would want to know?"

Elhedran just nodded, his head was hanging and he looked so very young and sad. Andarë smiled at him, a reassuring smile. " Worry not young one, we will help you. This is exciting you know, we will return to the library later and look again."

Elhedran sighed and his smile was pale. " I am grateful my ladies, all help is greatly appreciated."

He sent them a courteous bow and they giggled and curtsied. " I have to go, I have a lesson in archery in just a half an hour and I have to get changed into something more fitting for physical activity."

The ladies just giggled again and remained standing until the young prince had left the library and everything got quiet. Then Thranduil sat down hard and blinked rapidly, his face was slightly shocked. Galion took a deep breath. " We cannot be sure that it is the same person? It isn't the same name and…"

Thranduil pointed at the scroll. " No but the date is the same, damn it Galion, how often do you think that children were born in those days? Not often, maybe just two or three each year! It is the same infant, I am dead sure."

Galion opened the book again, stared at the name and the list of other names after it. "Then…Eru, a wife, and children too? And nobody has ever known?"

Thranduil hid his face behind his hands, he shuddered. " I hope that this doesn't mean what I fear it means"

Galion just nodded, he couldn't even speak. " So do I, so do I Thran."

Thranduil sighed and his eyes were closed. " Is there anyone here who would be able to confirm this? Someone old enough to remember?"

Galion stared at Thranduil, his eyes narrow. " Your uncle, the kings counsellor."

The room was rather dark and silent, the king barely used his office these days and dust was gathering in the corners. There were piles of papers stacked everywhere and a few wine bottles lay in front of the fireplace. They did stink and a plate of half rotten food was left in a chair, you could hear the flies buzzing.

The king's brother in law rarely set his foot in the kings office now, he had been there almost all the time when things were alright but now he shunned the room. It just reminded him of everything that was wrong. He had to visit it every now and then but preferred to wait for as long as he could, something about the dark dusty room that used to be the most important one in the realm gave him the creeps. He was really reaching his breaking point soon, he was forced to act as if he was the king and the responsibilities were too much for him. He had never been the one to lead, he was an ellon born to follow a strong leader and he felt as though he was severely lacking compared to his brother in law.

He had almost died damn it, and he had no idea of why he had been spared the same fate as his nephew. He had lost family too, they had been his blood as well and he had wept rather often, in fact more than ever before in his life. Now he had to visit that darn room again, to get some papers they had go get signed and sent back. They had a trading treaty with the city of Dale and the dwarves of Erebor and the treaty had been re-written and needed new signatures.

The room made him sigh, he remembered when it had been teeming with life, with the king behind the desk, several councilmembers and servants and people asking for the kings attention. There had been light, and life and joy even and the future had been so bright. Now it was as if a dark veil had descended upon them all and he had no idea of whether or not there even was a future to speak off anymore. His sister had sailed, he regretted that he hadn't joined her.

The room was a goddamn mess, it was horrible and he stopped and sighed. There were so much papers and dust he felt completely drained just looking at it all and he sighed and made a split second decision. He turned around on his heel and opened the door again, peered into the corridor and spotted a servant walking towards the stairs leading up to the royal apartments.

"Excuse me, but could you be a darling and get some of the cleaning crew to remove this dust? It starts to look like the deserts of Far Harad in here, and bring some more light and perhaps the curtains could be changed too? They are soon able to stand on their own."

The servant nodded politely and sped up back towards the servant's quarters, she obviously wanted to make a good impression.

The room was so dark it was actually hard to see anything and he walked over towards the window and pulled at the thick curtains, a cloud of dust broke free and he found himself coughing hacking and wheezing for a good ten minutes before the air cleared again. The sun was low and behind some clouds so the light wasn't good but it was good enough for him to see something that made him freeze and back off a few steps. Foot-prints on the floor, and they were not his own!

He stared, someone had been in there, not just once but several times and if it hadn't been for the sudden light nobody would have been able to tell. There were really nobody else than himself who had any reason to enter the kings office and he doubted that Alagir would even dream of going there. He had more than enough with his own fear and doubt. The foot prints were everywhere, but he saw that one place had been visited more often than the rest and he walked towards the huge closet with trembling hands and a rapidly beating heart.

It contained all the important papers which the king never allowed anyone else to see and also quite a lot of secrets. He took a deep breath, the locks had been picked. It had been done by an expert but there were some small subtle signs he could see since he knew what he was looking for.

He hesitated, then he opened the first drawer slowly. It hadn't been disturbed, it contained papers about the taxes and incomes of the realm and lists of property and harvests. The next drawer was disturbed, it was papers regarding the royal family and he immediately saw that one document had been replaced by a new one. He pulled it out with shaking hands, stared at it. It was the king's list of his heirs and also his wishes regarding the realm and its rule should he ever chose to sail or pass away. They were all removed from the list of heirs, the king wanted a new person to take his place but it was a lie, a false will. It looked like Oropher's handwriting but it wasn't, there were some small errors only one who knew the kings hand would notice.

He almost dropped the document, felt the taste of bile rise within his mouth, his hand was shaking so hard he had problems controlling it. How could this be? It was impossible, it was completely impossible, it couldn't be true! He was about to rip the document in half when he noticed movement within his peripheral vision and his old instincts saved him, he had once been a warrior of Doriath, had fought orcs and monsters back in the days when the orcs weren't that much different from elves.

Anyone else would have frozen up and failed to do anything but he didn't think, he just reacted and threw a pile of dusty papers straight in the face of his attacker while ducking away from the vicious dagger aimed for his chest. He almost made it, the blade pierced his side and he let out a roar in pain and shock and grasped onto the first thing his hand found on the nearby desk. It was a huge granite bust of Thingol and he tossed it at the cloaked figure in front of him with all his might.

The person slid away from the projectile and now a Warhammer was coming crashing down towards his head, it wasn't a weapon anyone used anymore, except the dwarves. He threw a fistful of dust and the hammer didn't hit him square in his skull but skidded off and sent him crashing backwards, his vision blurred and fading and he knew he was seriously hurt. He had most certainly a skull fracture and he was unable to protect himself. The cloaked figure was huge, and moved like a cat, a seasoned warrior for sure and he saw that a sword was being pulled. A voice hissed. " See what you have gotten yourself into, I wasn't really planning on killing you too but you know too much now, way too much. Blame yourself when you meet Mandos"

The person reached out to grasp the parchment but he didn't want to let go of it, it was evidence, someone had to be told the truth of this. He grasped onto it for all he was worth and the hooded figure swore again.

He closed his eyes, prepared to feel the blade pierce his heart but then the door flew open and a voice was heard. " My lord, I heard some racket…Oh Eru!"

Then there was a piercing scream, swearing and running feet and everything went dark and black and he just hoped that someone would understand, that the king would be told.

Alagir had just come out of the room where his fiancé was being kept when he heard shouting and screams and he felt how his blood ran cold immediately. It was happening again, Gods no! He ran, several guards were running too and they were heading towards the wing of the palace which contained the official rooms. Alagir was pale as a ghost, his father? No, he was in his chambers and was being watched over all the time.

There were a huge group of elves gathering in front of the office and Alagir let out a wail as he saw his uncle on a stretcher, covered in blood and clearly unconscious or dead and by his side an elleth wearing a servants uniform. She was bloody too and Gilorn came running so fast his robes looked like wings behind him. He immediately knelt down and felt the pulse of the two, his eyes were huge and he was sweating. " Oh Gods not again, when is this gonna end?"

Alagir knelt down next to his uncle. " He has got a dagger stuck in his chest, and a huge gash in his head, but what is this?"

His uncle's hand was clinging onto something, a small piece of parchment probably torn out from some document. He managed to pry it loose and stared at it, it was his father's parchment. Only the king was allowed to use that quality and it was rather new and a part of the king's seal could be seen on the small piece. Gilorn was working frantically, other healers had joined him and they applied pressure to the wounds and carried the wounded ellon off. "This elleth was being watched over by the Valar for sure, whoever did this tried to stab her in the chest with a rather long blade but she is wearing a corset, it has deflected the blade but she is still severely wounded. As is he."

Alagir was heaving for air. " Will he live? Will he be able to tell who it was?"

Gilorn signaled for the elleth to be carried off to the infirmary too. " I have no idea, he could suffer from brain damage and then anything may happen. Do not hope for too much."

Alagir stared at the piece of parchment. It was important, his instincts told him that. Whoever had attacked his uncle had ripped the document from his uncles hand. It meant something, and he had to get to the bottom of it before even more people got killed. The elleth was a servant, whoever it was hadn't killed anyone outside of the royal family until now, but this only told Alagir that the perpetrator was getting desperate, that things were changing and that the stakes were getting higher. Everybody would have to be more alert now.

He ran after the healer towards the infirmary and found Gilorn busy trying to remove the dagger and stopping the bleeding. The prince was shooed out of the room by a rather strict elleth and he stood there staring at the door. The king's personal servant came running, pale and visibly distraught and Alagir sent him a sneer. " It is my uncle, and a servant maiden. Both could be dying."

The ellon stopped and stared, eyes like teacups. " Eru no, how?"

Alagir sighed and pulled the piece of parchment out of his pocket. " My uncle tried to protect this document, have you any idea of what it is?"

The servant took the piece of parchment and stared at it, his eyes got even wider and Alagir did for a split second think that it did make the ellon look a bit like an owl, one that just had awakened after a long days sleep. Where the hilarious idea came from he didn't know, this was no funny situation at all. The servant made a snorting sound, he was rather pale looking too. " I have seen this before, I recognize that little ink stain just next to the seal. He was so upset over it, wanted to know if it would ruin the document and if he would need a new seal or something like that. He didn't want one that was leaking ink all over the place. It is a piece of your father's will."

Alagir stared at the servant, it did make sense now, somehow the pieces fell into place. Someone wanted them all removed so that the person behind it all could take their place but who? And how? And …He just sat down in a chair, shaking all over and visibly upset. " Ada is being watched over?"

The servant nodded. " Yes, three of the Ellyn you chose are with him at all times, always armed. He is never left alone, even when he sleeps."

Alagir sighed. " Praise Eru for loyal subjects, but do tell my father of the incident, just…be gentle ok?"

The servant nodded solemnly. " Of course my prince, I will break it to him gently."

Alagir just nodded, he felt tired, so terribly tired. It was as if the entire world suddenly had landed upon his shoulders. Was this tiny piece genuine or was it part of a fake will? In that case someone had access to the kings seal, and to his personal papers. Someone with ill intent and a malicious mind. Eru, who could it be?

The door opened slightly and an elleth in a healers uniform put her head out through the crack. " My prince? Gilorn wants to speak with you"

Alagir entered the room, Gilorn stood there washing blood of his hands, he was still pale and there was a very dark expression within his eyes. " Alagir, I found something in the maidens hand too."

He grasped a bowl and held it out towards the young prince who took a quick peek. It was some fibers of cloth, dark blue and rather coarse. " What is that?"

Gilorn was clenching his jaw tightly, his eyes shooting sparks. " It is fibers from a uniform, from a servants uniform."

Alagir felt dizzy, the servants were everywhere, they had access to every room in the palace, nobody would question their whereabouts at all nor wonder if they saw them enter normally restricted areas. The palace had to be cleaned and taken care of. Alagir sat down, he knew his legs didn't support him much longer. " How many servants do work within the palace?"

Gilorn sent him a stiff grin. " About five hundred in all, and some extra when there is a feast or something of the kind. And uniforms are easy to come by, it could be anyone."

Alagir closed his eyes, nobody did in fact notice the staff, they just were there, like furniture and nobody paid any attention to them as long as they did their job. "Eru, then how are we to find the culprit?"

Gilorn sent him a dark glance. " Well, I can tell you one thing for sure, the one who attacked your uncle and the servant girl is male, no elleth has the strength to deliver such a punch, but the odd thing is, the fabric is from the uniform most used by the cleaners and they are all female."

Alagir just stared at the healer, he didn't really understand this, no he didn't understand this at all.

Thranduil and Galion had returned to their room when they heard a lot of loud voices and both stared at each other, rather startled. Galion put on a rather calm face and opened the door, stared out and there were elves running around, all heading towards the grand hall. "What is going on?"

An elleth stopped shortly, she was short of breath and her eyes wide. " The king's brother in law was attacked or so they say, and a maiden too."

Thranduil went pale and Galion shooed him back inside of the room and closed the door, his friend was shivering and his eyes were dark. " Eru, I almost suspected that my uncle was the culprit, but now this? What is going on?"

Galion sent his prince and friend a rather somber glance. " I fear we soon will find out Thranduil, maybe before we would like too."

Thranduil sat down on the bed, his gaze distant. "Then may Eru have mercy upon us all!"


	6. Under your nose, over your head

Chapter six: Under your nose; over your head.

Gilorn was in despair, he had never experienced a mess quite like this one, it was…horrible. The elleth was unconscious still and so was the king's brother in law. Gilorn had given him a huge dose of a medicine that kept people under, he knew that there could be a swelling of the brain from such a blow and if the ellon regained consciousness too early it could be very dangerous. He, like all others, were almost dying to know if the poor ellon had seen anything but they would all have to wait.

He had done everything that he could and now it was up to the valar, he just prayed that the deities were on their side in this. He had ordered for the two to be kept under guard all the time, there were several armed guards in the room and they were told to let nobody near. Gilorn was finished washing his hands when Alagir rushed into the room. He was obviously in distress and rather confused. " I have checked with the one responsible for the servants. Nobody is missing, they are all accounted for and he strongly doubts that any of them are capable of such horrendous crimes. They are all very loyal."

The healer sighed and dried his hands off, put on a clean robe. " The one behind this is clever Alagir, extremely clever. The question we need to find an answer to is this, who is it? If that will was a fake, a well made forgery, it still had to be accepted by the people. They won't accept just anyone?"

Alagir nodded. " Yes, they are sylvan. They won't allow themselves to be ruled by anyone who they don't respect."

Gilorn smiled but the smile was a stiff one. " I know, and so I fear that the culprit is someone closer to home than we would like to admit."

Alagir frowned. " What do you mean?"

Gilorn sighed. " I am old Alagir, and I know a lot. In fact I know things many people would prefer had been forgotten by all. There is a suspicion I have but I cannot say for sure, it may only be a rumor."

Alagir was leaning forward. " Do explain."

Gilorn bit his lower lip. " Like I said, it is a rumor, do not put too much trust in it, but there has been some gossip being spread about your grandfather."

Alagir looked confused. " My grandfather? He died even before Doriath was sacked the first time, orcs I think?"

Gilorn nodded. " Indeed. Now, he was married to a rather noble lady from the court of Elu Thingol, Elu himself had it arranged and your father was the result of this political alliance. He came from a rather powerful clan within the sinda community and Elu was sly in some ways. He wanted to make strong connections throughout his society, in special where power was involved. He forced that marriage through, even though your grandfather really didn't want to marry that elleth"

Alagir swallowed. " I had no idea of this, ada has never spoken of it. "

Gilorn sat down and looked at the floors, his face was distant and sad. " No wonder, your grandfather never loved your grandmother, in fact I know that he sometimes loathed her and called her a sneaking servant of Melian, only interested in increasing her own influence and power. And yes, his words were true. She was a terrible person but somehow they managed to conceive your father, probably thanks to Melian interfering even more than usual."

Alagir was a bit pale. " So, the rumors?"

Gilorn sighed once more, let his hand run through his long hair." Some claimed that your grandfather already was married when Elu forced him to marry that noble lady. That he had a mate and that she was his true love."

Alagir looked as if he had tasted something disgusting. " That is…awful! How could Elu force somebody to do something like that? I mean, power or not?!"

Gilorn hissed, his eyes flared for a moment. " Do you really think that everything you have heard about our first great king is true? That he was so great and wise and filled with just goodness and light? Remember this young one, history is written by the victorious, never the losers. Oh Elu was indeed grand but in fact he had a lot of traits that hardly ever is mentioned."

Alagir sat down too, slowly. " Such as?"

The healer grinned, a sarcastic grin. " Well, he got himself slain didn't he? He was too darn stubborn, so obsessed with his right to rule and decide and just be in control of everything it cost him everything too. Just imagine, he sent his own daughter's beloved out on a suicide mission just to get rid of him, since he was just a mere human. He was too goddamn proud to admit he was wrong about anything and when that accursed jewel was brought to him, did he return it to its rightful owners to avoid bringing the wrath and ruin of Fëanor's oath upon them? No, he proudly brought the darn thing to the dwarves and told them to add it to a necklace, so that everybody could see that he indeed did possess a silmaril! That is pride young one, dangerous pride"

Alagir took a deep breath. " Do you really think that the Silmarilli should have been returned to the Fëanorions? They were monsters!"

Gilorn took a deep breath. " Alagir, back in those days we were all monsters!"

Alagir felt a bit nervous, why he didn't know. " So, the rumors?"

Gilorn rubbed his eyes. " Ah, yes, the rumors. Well, some said that the elleth your grandfather loved already were with child when he was forced to marry someone else, and that Elu himself ordered the child removed from it's original mother and given to someone else, outside of his kingdom."

Alagir had to cough. " I…I refuse to believe that this is true."

Gilorn cocked his head. " And it could be just a lie, a way of making the tale of your grandfather even more romantic and tragic, the ellith love such tales, of love lost and star crossed lovers and such nonsense."

The prince swallowed hard. " Is there any way to know if this is true or not, all those who lived back then are either dead or have sailed or live somewhere else don't they?"

Gilorn took a deep breath. " There is one thing we constantly do Alagir, one thing that is so very wrong, do you know of what I speak?"

Alagir was confused. " No? What?"

Gilorn smiled, a sad smile. " We forget that the Sindar and the Noldor weren't the only ones involved in the conflicts and wars back then. In fact there were few sindar and noldor compared with the sylvan and the avari."

Alagir looked even more puzzled. " And?"

Gilorn shrugged. " They are forgotten, their names not written down anywhere, their deeds are never mentioned when songs are sung, praising the heroes of old. Oh the avari warriors of old, I can tell you one thing for sure Alagir, they were wilder and more savage than you can imagine and way better fighters than any army existing today. And they knew a lot too, wisdom we have spurned, forgotten and trampled into the mud as superstition and worthless lore."

Alagir pressed his eyebrows together. " Are you telling me that the avari may know something we don't?"

Gilorn nodded slowly. "Exactly young one, and one Avari in special. She was in Doriath back then, working as a healer and a shaman. If there really was a child born to your grandfather she will know for sure."

Alagir was suddenly terribly eager. " Who is she? Please, tell me!"

Gilorn leaned forward. " This cannot leave this room understood? Tell nobody of this, not even your nephew. If the one behind these deaths and attacks find out she is in danger too. They call her only "the daughter" and few have seen her, but she is alive and she lives within these woods, somewhere"

Alagir moaned. " Oh wonderful, everybody thinks that she is a myth, a sort of metaphor. And if she is real she will be as easy to find as a needle in a haystack"

Gilorn raised his arms in an apologetic gesture. " I didn't say it would be easy, not at all!"

Alagir got to his feet. " So, where do I start looking?"

Gilorn grasped his arm, hard. " You are not going anywhere Alagir, she won't let herself be found. She has to come to you! I will get in touch with some sylvan friends of mine, they will summon her. Hopefully she will heed the call and be willing to help."

Alagir groaned. " Are we to just sit here and stare at the walls until she decide to show up then? I cannot take that, I need to do something!"

Gilorn grinned, a wicked grin. " Oh well, then I have a task for you. The two ellith who arrived from Rivendell are not Elrond's servants, I am rather sure of it. They know next to nothing about him except the things that everybody knows and they are surely not healers. I want you to keep an eye on them, see if you can lure some information out of them."

Alagir hissed, he didn't exactly like that idea. " Oh Eru, how?"

Gilorn grinned once more, even wider. " Easy young one, use your charm. You are a handsome young ellon, use it for all it is worth"

Alagir groaned as if he was being slowly pierced by a spear. " Eru spare me, I have a fiancé remember? I will not flirt with those two…ogres"

Gilorn stared at the young ellon, rather sternly. " Oh yes you will, all for the cause remember? I have a feeling that there is something we have forgotten or overlooked, and they are involved, my guts tell me it is so, so hurry my prince, do your duty and if the valar are willing we will be rewarded with at least a piece of the truth"

Alagir rolled his eyes and his shoulders were slumping forward. There were tasks he would have done more gladly than this, like mucking out all the stables, alone, with a wheelbarrel and a spoon! Gilorn waved him goodbye with a cheerful grin. " Good luck young one"

Alagir showed the healer a rather obscene gesture as he left the room, if it hadn't been so serious he would have stayed away from those two ellith, far far away.

The darkness was perpetual, relentless. It was forever there and he knew he had gone insane by now. He was sure he heard voices all the time, but he couldn't quite hear what they were saying, just that it was something he dreaded hearing and yet he yearned to. Time stood still, it was something that had seized to exist. He had no idea of for how long he had been there, it felt like ages and yet like mere days, he didn't know. He was so weak, so terribly so. The stench was something he had forgotten about by now, his nose had grown insensitive to it. The food that sometimes were left there was so sparse and so very bad but he ate it anyhow. Even when he felt worms squirm between his teeth. He had tried to remove the mask covering his eyes but it was so firmly strapped it was impossible, his hands were chained so raising them was hard and he was getting tired so fast. He had fallen into apathy, there was nothing he could do anymore. The knowledge of his family being eradicated didn't have the same effect on him as before. He was praying a lot these days, earlier he had prayed for freedom, now he was praying to lord Namo, begging for him to call his fëa to the halls

.

The one tormenting him would show up every now and then, sometimes just standing there, staring. He felt it, those cold relentless eyes glaring at him. Those times were the easy ones, the times when the unknown person had his way with him were far worse. He had tried to fight in the beginning, then he had been begging and now he had stopped reacting at all. He just laid there, like a lump of dead meat and the enemy would hiss in disappointment and lose his interest before he had time to come. In a way it felt like victory, he had sort of taken some control back. The mad person behind this enjoyed watching him struggle, when he didn't resist he wasn't that arousing anymore and then the ellon stopped touching him all together. He had thought it would feel like a triumph but it didn't.

At first it did, naturally, he had managed to avoid getting raped again but he began missing being touched. He was so alone and he was so ashamed of himself but soon even the touch of his enemy became something for which he yearned. He needed to feel again, anything. He was trying to seek refuge within his own memories, of times when life was good. He remembered his mother and her tender smile, his brother and their pranks and mischief. He often wept and he wished that he could see her again. If what they said were true death wasn't really anything to fear, and so much better than this sorry excuse for an existence.

He was dreaming again, leaned back against the cold rock and the body was shivering, it was cold there and damp and if he had been able to see his own emaciated body he would have been aghast. He looked almost skeletal by now and was barely able to move anymore. The dream was pleasant, of a time when he had been visiting a special part of the woods with his mother. They had been picking apples within a grove of huge apple trees, the sun had been warm and it had been a wonderful day. One filled with only joy and hope, he could almost smell the scent of the forest and the trees. His mother had been sitting in the grass with a basket of apples in front of her and he had eaten an apple, the taste had been so wonderful, crisp and sweet and he moaned in his delirious sleep. He didn't feel hungry anymore, he was dying now and he had accepted it.

The suddenly the memory changed, his mother got up and she sat down on her knees in front of him, her eyes sad but filled with love. " I cannot reach you anymore, but I can touch your mind in your dreams. The master of the halls has allowed me this so listen well my darling lad. Help is on the way, she is coming. And there are others too, others trying to help. When you wake up a servant of the mother will approach you, fear not. It may show them the way."

He didn't understand, she slowly faded away and he wanted to scream, to beg her to stay, to let this strange memory last. But it was over and he woke up, feeling the cold air around him and how his body no longer had the strength to move. It was too late, what was the point in help now? Then he heard something, a real sound. Something was moving close by and he froze, his breath stopping and his heart pounding. It wasn't large whatever it was, some animal? A servant of the mother, of the vala responsible for the forests? What could it be? Then he heard a small squeak and he couldn't believe it, a mouse?!

What could a mouse do? They were tiny damn it, and their minds all over the place. Food and danger was all they could think about, no wonder really when your whole existence revolve around the fact that you are a bite sized snack for just about any carnivore larger than yourself, which implies pretty much every carnivorous species of animal and bird. The mouse squeaked again and suddenly he felt something touching his leg. It was barely a touch at all but the mouse was running around, doing mousy things and he found some solace in the fact that he wasn't alone anymore.

There was some company in the tiny creature, even though he couldn't see it. It ran over his legs, climbed around on his torso and it tickled but he didn't have the strength to push it away. " I wish I could see you little one, I bet you are a cute little thing."

The mouse didn't startle from his voice, it just kept exploring this huge warm thing and sometimes it would curl up somewhere and sleep for a couple of minutes before it kept going. Then it got all the way up to his shoulders and he heard some strange gnawing sounds, great, it was gnawing at his hair. Oh what did it matter, he would be dead soon, if some mouse got to fill its nest with soft elven hair he had at least made one little soul a favor. " Oh go ahead little one, I bet you will have a nice nest for your young."

The mouse scurried off, probably with a mouthful of hair and he missed it immediately, but after a while it returned and now it was rather eagerly gnawing at his hair. It itched and he had to fight the need to shake his head, he didn't want to hurt the tiny thing. Then he realized that there were more than just one, it was a whole family of mice gathering hair and he sighed and resigned to the fact that he was to be a source of nesting material to a whole population of rodents. At least he wasn't alone anymore, and it felt good in a way.

Thranduil had tried to find out more about the incident with his uncle and the servant maiden but nobody knew anything for sure and he couldn't be too curious, it would seem suspicious. Instead he had resigned to returning to the library and he had a small hope that they could be able to find something useful there. After all, there were a lot of scrolls being rescued from Doriath and if the valar were smiling there could be some useful information within them. Galion remained in their room, he was trying to remember if he ever had heard about anyone with the name they had found.

Thranduil was sick and tired of the disguise, whenever he met some elves he saw the grimace of distaste and disgust on their faces and he promised himself that when this was over he was going to wear only the best clothing and doing everything within his power to always look as gorgeous as possible. It was chaffing at his nerves, and he had to avoid mirrors too. He heard them whisper behind his back and he had to concentrate really hard to be able to stop himself from yelling at them. The library was a quiet place and he was glad he was alone, he first went to the area with the books he officially was seeking and took a couple of them out of the shelves just to back up his story.

He hadn't really looked that well at those books, when his father caught him he had been reading one with illustrations and then he had sort of taken a fright and didn't dare to even go to those shelves again. But now he saw that these books indeed were precious, some had exquisite drawings and were filled with poems that were very well written although naughty. He hadn't known that there were that many words describing a females private parts before and he stood there trying to figure out how the artist had managed to capture a couple tangled in a very interesting way when he heard the sound of someone hawking.

He almost leaped a foot into the air and squeaked, the book was saved from hitting the floor just due to his keen reflexes. It was a small scrawny looking ellon in ragged robes, he reminded Thranduil of a rat for some reason. " I do most sincerely apologize my lady, but it is…unusual to see a lady within this part of the library."

The ellon was tilting his head and his eyes were fixed on the elleth's rather generous bust. Thranduil felt a brief moment of panic. Shit, a pervert! " Uh, I do collect…ancient erotic books, and I have a permission to check out his majesty's library. I have some copies of some books here and I think I may have fake copies."

The ellon licked his lips, heck, what was wrong with him? " Really? Oh it is so rare to meet an elleth who really appreciate such exquisite works of art."

He reached out and took the book with reverence. " Ah, this one is amazing, just look at the drawings, the artist must have spent a decade on it, if not more."

Altarë nodded. " Ah yes, beyond any doubt. It is truly a great work of art."

The ellon was slowly going through the book, he was smiling and it was the creepiest grin Thranduil ever had seen. Was the guy sweating?. " Yes, see? This illustration is so realistic wouldn't you say?"

The tall elleth nodded, heck, how did you escape from such a situation without arising suspicion? " Yes, but I have a hard time imagining anyone doing just that!"

The position pictured in the illustration had to be performed by contortionists. Thranduil would never be able to bend that way, never! " You don't? Oh but I can assure you my fair one, that it is perfectly possible, and very enjoyable too."

Altarë squeaked. " You have done that?!"

The ellon was almost trembling, what the hey? Was he on the brink of having a seizure or did he really get off on huge females?" Oh yes, several times, it is great pleasure to be found if one uses these books as instructions."

Thranduil managed to sound like a very indignant maiden. " I am a very decent person, I do not…get involved with just about anyone!"

The ellon almost growled and grasped her hand, kissed it with passion and Thranduil fought the urge to give the ellon a decent upper-cut. " Oh I know my dear, such beauty as yours is so rare. These ellith look like sticks, but you my lovely one, oh your womanly figure, your bouncing bosom and wonderful rounded hips, you are everything a male could wish for and more."

Thranduil couldn't believe it, this ellon did really find huge ugly ellith attractive?! Then poor guy, he had to have been living a very sad life indeed. Thranduil had never seen a fat elleth ever! "Oh you are just flattering me!"

There was panic in the voice and the ellon was squeezing himself against her and there was little doubt about the fact that he found her attractive, if he hadn't stolen a huge sausage from the kitchen and hidden it in his pants. The ellon shook his head. " Oh no, I am telling the truth. I did notice your charm the moment you entered the palace my plush beauty, I have never seen anyone like you!"

Thranduil thought for a moment that those words at least were true. " It…It is not common that people ah praise my…appearance"

The ellon was actually breathing rather hard by now and she had backed away as far as possible but now she had her back against the wall. What the heck was he to do? He couldn't resolve to violence? The magic only changed the way others saw him and Galion damn it, if anyone got too intimate the truth would be hard to disguise.

The ellon grunted and tried to get his hand around her to unlace her dress and she squeaked and managed to get a small movable shelf on wheels between her and the over amorous ellon. "You are more fair than a spring day my sweet, oh your scent is intoxicating."

Altarë tried to find a way out. " Sir, I do have admirers back home, they have influence and wouldn't like it if someone was to…assault their…uh…object of interest"

The ellon panted. " But I will not assault you my beefy beauty, I will ravish you!"

Thranduil fought to keep the small shelf between them. " I cannot be the only one here worthy of your attention? I am sure there is someone else here more than happy to see to your….needs!"

The answer was a swift shake of the head. " No, I do visit the local human villages though, plenty of real women there but they age so fast and they all think that I will marry them for some reason. But you my fluffy one, you and me, oh what magic we could create!"

Thranduil was on the verge of real panic. How did he find a way out of this, if he smacked the guy over the head with a book it would perhaps only encourage him. "So…ah…you have had human lovers, that is…interesting"

The ellon was getting really frustrated, he was stronger than he looked and Thranduil couldn't use all his strength, it would reveal that he wasn't what he appeared to be. No elleth no matter how large is as strong as a well trained warrior. "They are boring, can't take much, break so easily."

Break so easily? Was the guy into rough play? Damn it, then he would probably find any sort of physical attack arousing, or interpret it as an attempt to flirt! Where were Galion when he needed him?

"But I am very fragile sir, I…have…brittle bones, yes, brittle bones"

The ellon was growling again. " You are just shy my precious, you need the love of a real male, I bet those ellyn you have been courted by have been too dainty to really show you what it means to be thoroughly fucked or what? "

Thranduil squeaked, he had to play his part now, really well. " Uh, well, I haven't…"

The eager guy grinned, a very dirty grin and he didn't notice the expression of absolute disgust on the elleth's face. " Oh how sweet, you have saved yourself for the right ellon right? Oh but worry not my juicy sough, mister right is right here and right now. I can show you such pleasure!"

Thranduil was ready to scream, the library was far away from the areas where other people would stay and the chance of somebody hearing anything was low but he couldn't break out of character. " I…I am scared, I am such a frail and innocent maiden and…"

The ellon smiled, the bookshelf was ready to break apart, Thranduil tried to push it in one direction and the ellon in the other. " Oh do continue to speak, your hoarse voice is just so wonderful, I wonder if I can make you scream? Oh I bet I can."

Thranduil was desperate by now. " S…sir, I have never…seen an ellon…if…If …I could…have a look at you…I may become a little less….frightened"

It was a plan, if he managed to get the guy to drop his pants he could have a chance of getting away, like they say, a woman with her skirts up run much faster than a man with his pants down. The ellon smiled, oh Eru he did remind Thranduil of an orc he once had beheaded, a rather nasty one. Or a weasel who has taken a bath in a pool of mud, or rather, a barrel of ale. Was it liquor he smelled? The guy was drunk , that was why he was so unrestrained in his advances.

The ellon nodded eagerly. " Most certainly my lady, you will soon find that we were made for each other."

Thranduil did barely believe it, the ellon just dropped his pants and pulled his robes apart and it wasn't hard to stay in character this time. " Oh Eru, ewww, ah, I mean…how…impressive!"

The scrawny ellon was wielding a gwib that was impressive to say the least considering his small stature but it wasn't really that pretty at all. It did look as though he had some sort of skin problem and the thin tuft of hairs at the base did look a bit like it suffered from a severe case of mange.

" Ah, what…what has happened to…uh"

The ellon was grinning with pride, he probably thought that this object of his somewhat dubious desire was impressed. " Oh nothing to worry about, one of the human females I had some fun with gave me a gift I didn't ask for to put it nicely but it has healed now, no danger my dear."

Thranduil cringed, Morgoth's balls! The guy had gotten some sort of disease from one of the human whores? How desperate was it really possible to become. " It looks…sore"

The ellon sent her a very seductive grin and grasped himself, it looked straight forwardly bizarre. " It isn't, I assure you it works just perfectly, I can show you? The crabs and the mange is all gone!"

Thranduil shivered, oh Eru! Elves don't usually get that sort of problems, even when they are sleeping with some human. This guy had to have been shagging like a rabbit to be able to contract something like that. Thranduil would rather touch a red hot bucket of liquid lava. He tried to smile, to act as if he was actually interested. " Yes, yes, do show me!"

The room between the shelves was narrow, but if he was fast he could perhaps hope to squeeze his way past the guy when he was busy, it is darn hard to stop whence you have started and he was preparing to make a run for it. The ellon groaned with desire and started stroking himself very hard and fast and he was staring at the huge elleth with bulging eyes and his tongue out of his mouth. It would have looked extremely comical if the situation was just a wee bit different. The ellon was obviously close already for he was making some obscene sounds and thrusting his hips into his grip and Thranduil was desperately searching for a way out, for the moment to make a run for it.

Then he saw a shadow moving through the half dark room and pressed himself up against the wall, arms raised as if in defense and a terrified expression on his face and he just hoped that the person approaching them would misinterpret the situation in the wanted way. The over eager ellon didn't notice that they weren't alone until he suddenly let out a hoarse roar that reminded Thranduil of a donkey and started to spurt white liquid all over the small shelf which by now was falling apart completely.

Thranduil opened his eyes just to see that Alagir stood behind the ellon with an expression of shock and disgust on his face and then he grasped the shorter elf by his shoulder rather hard and the guy squeaked and looked rather confused. " What in the name of Morgoth's minions are going on here? Baurion? Are you assaulting this lady?"

Baurion didn't move, he just stood there with his gwib still in his hand and the visible evidence of his deed dripping from the shelf, and from some books and even from the elleth's bodice. " Ah.."

Alagir was staring with huge eyes at the spectacle. " My lady, are you alright?"

Altarë let out a strange choked sound that could be interpreted as a no and managed to rush past the two ellyn, out of the frying pan at least.

Alagir grasped Baurion by his ear and shook him. " I know you are as uncouth as a wild boar but this is way too much. I think a few days in the dungeon is suitable, it will cool you down"

And he shook the ear extra hard. " And then you will have to clean this section, you have soiled it, terribly"

A couple of guards had been following Alagir and he waved his hand at them. " Take him to the dungeons. That is no way to treat a guest and a lady even less."

Baurion was stuttering. " But…but…but…"

Alagir made a grimace of pure disgust. " The only word I want to hear from you is an apology and I cannot imagine what you were thinking?! Wanking off in front of a lady like that?!"

Baurion was making some weird faces. " She liked it…"

Alagir rolled his eyes. " Oh yes, for sure. And I am also sure that the millers donkey is Ancalagon in disguise. Get him out of here! And pull his pants up for Eru's sake, I won't be able to forget the sight of his…tool…for days."

The guards grasped Baurion and hauled him away to the sound of loud protests and Alagir turned to the elleth who had sat down by a table, visibly distraught." My lady, how do you feel? He didn't cause you any harm now did he?"

Thranduil had to use the situation for all it was worth. " Oh no, but…I felt so…vulnerable. He was so obscene. I had to pretend as though I liked it, I feared that he would…you know"

Alagir sat down, tried to smile. Oh by the dragon's breath, how could any ellon really think that something like this was attractive? " I am sure he wouldn't have gone that far, he was just…a bit overly eager"

Thranduil swallowed a scoff, that was an understatement. " Oh I am so glad you showed up, you saved me"

He managed to make his voice shiver and Alagir made a grimace. " Well, I was actually looking for you my lady, I thought I might find you here."

Thranduil managed to keep a neutral expression, shite, what was this? He had to be careful and not reveal too much now. " Yes, I was looking at some books and I think that he somehow got the wrong idea."

Alagir smiled. " Baurion is a bit weird my lady, and way too fond of drinking and…other joyful activities."

Altarë had picked up her fan and was fanning herself vigorously. " Ah, yes, he did smell…of alcohol."

Alagir cringed, that meant that they would have to replace the locks to the wine cellar yet again. Baurion had probably emptied their entire storage of strong wine. " Yes, that is not unusual, he drinks like a sponge I fear. I am so sorry that you had to experience something like that my lady, you must believe that the Greenwood ellyn are a bunch of perverts"

Thranduil managed to smile. " I know there is to a rotten apple in every barrel my lord, worry not, I can cope. I was just a little bit…shocked"

Alagir nodded. " I just wanted to assure myself that you and your sister have everything you need, after all, we don't get guests that often and we want to make sure that you are pleased with everything."

Thranduil squeezed out a giggle. " Oh everything is wonderful my lord, we couldn't be more satisfied."

Alagir smiled and petted her hand. " I am very glad to hear that my lady. I trust that you and your sister will appear at the dinner tonight? I am sure there is a lot you can tell us of Imladris?"

Thranduil almost squeaked, oh crap. " Surely you have people here with way more interesting tales but we can of course do our best"

Alagir smiled and got up. " Then we do have an agreement. I am looking forward to it."

Thranduil stared at his brother's back as he disappeared among the shelves. Shit, how did they solve this? Then it dawned upon him, he was in a library wasn't he? Plenty of lore and tales available and who were to tell if they truly were from Imladris or not? He had some reading to do and ran to get Galion, they were in a hurry if they were to maintain their cover story. They didn't know that Alagir was watching from a hidden corner and he was obviously suspicious. Yes, Gilorn was right, something was odd about these two, really really odd.

Gilorn had notified his friends and an elleth had left the palace that day, apparently to pick mushrooms but she had another task which was much more important. She walked off the paths and headed towards a very dense grove deep within the woods. There she found a giant oak, it was so ancient some believed it had been there before the forest itself and she dropped the basket and stared at the tree. Some strange symbols were carved into the wood and she smiled, touched them with reverence. " Hear me great one, hear me oh ancient one, hear me blessed one. We need your wisdom, we need your help. Come to us, honor your promise."

The tree appeared to rustle its leaves and the elleth nodded her head, it was done, now only fate would decide whether or not the call would be answered. They needed help now, and she just hoped that it wouldn't come too late.

-Eyes were watching the entrance to the infirmary, there were guards in there, and nobody were allowed to enter. It had to be a way to avoid detection, if those two were allowed to talk it would all come crashing down, no, there had to be a way. It would strain the magic to its very limit but there was no choice but to do it. Could the blame perhaps be put on someone else? Those two weird strangers? No, they were harmless and it would cause an uproar, no it had to be discrete. Yes, therein lay the answer, discrete. There were substances strong enough even for a task like this one. It would be a success. Alagir would have to go soon too, there could be nobody left, nobody to stand in the way of a vengeance so long in the making. Yes, it would be a day worth remembering, a day to celebrate.


	7. The child of the forest

**Chapter seven: The child of the woods and the child of deceit**

The king was very frail now, he was in a state where the smallest disturbance could cause him to loose whatever sanity he had left and the guards were always alert. His butler was guarding him too, reading every letter, deciding whether or not people were allowed to speak to him. They tried to maintain at least a façade of normality but it was thin and cracking. Without his brother in law the council members had to do much of the job Oropher normally would do and they lacked the skills and the patience needed for such a task. They spent more time arguing than actually making decisions and everybody was walking on needles, fearful that something even more terrible was to happen.

The search for the kings missing grandson was over, nobody believed that he was alive and soon they would officially mourn him. Oropher rarely left his chambers now, he was so immersed in grief he didn't speak to anyone except his butler and the few who were allowed to visit. Alagir was seeing his father as often as he could but he felt as though he didn't reach him anymore. The losses were stealing his ada away from him, Oropher was fading and didn't do anything to stop it.

Alagir was trying to do what Gilorn had asked of him, he was shocked by what he had witnessed in the library and rather enraged to. Even if that elleth was a stranger she shouldn't have been forced to witness something like that, it wasn't right. But he was eager to see what they would do, if they indeed knew something about Imladris at all. The idea of sending a letter to Elrond and asking if these two indeed came from his staff was tempting but it would take weeks, if not months for a reply to reach them. He would have to solve the mystery on his own with the help of Gilorn and he tried to make the pieces of the puzzle fit together in his head but to no prevail. The piece of cloth they had found suggested that the culprit was a servant, an elleth. But ellith rarely acted thus and what if Gilorn was right, that there was a relative of them alive of whom they had known naught?

There were few blonde ellith there, most were Sindarin noble ladies and their past well known. The servants were sylvan and most of them were darker of color, and Alagir knew that great height and blonde hair with a hint of silver was a trait commonly found in his father's family line. But the elleth his grandfather had been married to could have been a sylvan, it wasn't impossible that the person in question was darker in colors and looked like a sylvan elf. It was such a difficult thing and he just hoped that the ancient elleth they had summoned could answer some of their pressing questions.

* * *

Thranduil had managed to find some books with tales and stories that originated from Imladris and he had brought them to Galion who first had a terrible fit of laughter and then got very serious when he was told of the incident. They had to tell everybody something and luckily Galion had kept his ears open whilst in the human village. Some Dunedain would every now and then drop by and share some gossip and so Galion knew at least a few things that weren't downright lies. Thranduil knew that Galion was a quick thinker and could talk his way out of almost any sort of situation, it would come in handy.

They had sort of practiced what they were to say and Galion felt confident that they would be able to convince everybody. Thranduil wasn't that sure, he had a weird sensation within, that something was off. Did anyone suspect anything? He didn't know but his skin was crawling, if the book was right there could be somebody there hiding, somebody who may or may not had every opportunity to do harm. And what did it mean really? He was dying to know.

* * *

Anegir was tired, in fact he was so tired he was stumbling and to a sylvan elf that was a sure sign of extreme fatigue. He was proud to be working in Oropher's stables but when the stable master sent him out to retrieve a run-away colt he had gotten more than his fair share of exercise. The darn horse refused to allow him to catch it and now they were far from the palace. This part of the woods was said to be haunted and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. It was dark there, and dank , and he was sure he saw shadowy figures gliding through the mist forming between the giant trees. Oh he was being paranoid and tried to tell himself that his mind was playing tricks on him, but even his inner voice was shivering.

He had to stop, that valar forsaken cold was so skittish it didn't even stop to graze and he wished he could just return and tell the stable master that this horse was impossible to catch, but he was too darn stubborn and too darn proud. He was going to catch that colt, if it was the last thing he did. He took a few deep gulps of air and started running again, his knees were shivering and he cursed the fact that the sindar preferred to ride instead of using their own legs. What was wrong with a good long walk anyway? It was good for your character, riding was unnatural, and horses were pretty but too nervous the way he saw it.

The colt whinnied and picked up some speed again, he swore and wiped the sweat from his brow. If he had carried a bow…. He tried to run faster and his leg snagged in a root and sent him flying forward. He made contact with the ground in a very sudden and uncomfortable manner and he grunted and shook his head, moaned. This was one shitty day, he wished he could have stayed in his nice comfortable bed, preferably with a warm and willing elleth by his side but no, heck no. That goddamn nag had ruined this day, he could as might as well just remain there, where he was, with his nose buried in the moss and his hand shoved into something rather soft. Great, he probably had pushed his hand straight through some animal's droppings, it would be typical.

He sighed and lifted his head, the colt had stopped and stared at him with huge dark eyes, it looked curious, what was that elf doing on the ground? Anegir mumbled and pulled his hand to him, pushed himself up. He had gotten his hand into a mouse nest and that was why it was so soft, at least it wasn't some stinking turd but it did stink of mouse. He made a grimace and shook his hand, some hairs were stuck to it and he blinked. The hairs were blonde and very thin and silky and he slowed down, stared at them. No animal had hair like that? He felt weird, what was this? Hesitantly he lifted his hand to his nose, sniffed it carefully. Elves have very keen senses and he instantly knew what type of hair this was.

He gasped, there were no settlements anywhere near and mice don't move over a great area. He held the hairs against his dark tunic and they were blonde, silvery blonde. Anegir gasped and felt a rush of both excitement and fear rush through him, suddenly he was in a hurry and his fatigue and anger was forgotten. He saw that the cold was standing by a tree grazing and he bit his teeth together, he was a sylvan elf, he should be able to do this. Quickly and stealthy he ran the last few yards to the cold and jumped up onto its back, grasped the long mane and pressed his heels into its sides. The colt jumped and neighed but he had gotten it running and it couldn't stop and buck now. He steered it in the right direction and the spooked horse galloped like mad towards the palace.

* * *

The guards by the doors to the infirmary stood there and were half asleep, they were convinced that their presence were not needed but they did obey orders and even though it was boring as hell they did take pride in their work. They both straightened themselves when an elleth approached them, she was carrying a tray with food and a bottle of wine and she stopped and looked at them with uncertainty in her eyes. She carried the uniform of a nurse and the guards stared at her. They hadn't seen her before and she was rather plain looking but also cute in an immature way. " I am to deliver this in case they wake up and need food?"

The guards frowned. " Gilorn hasn't told us of any food being delivered? Nobody is to enter."

The elleth nodded " I know, so I am not to enter, but you can put the food in there?"

The two nodded, at least they were doing something useful. One of them took the tray and the elleth bowed swiftly and left, they both stared at her, she was a shapely one and the sight of an elleth was always nice when they were so bored. The tray contained some slices of bread with honey and apples and some slices with sausage. Weird that Gilorn sent food to the infirmary? Neither of the two wounded were awake and the guards did seriously doubt that they would awaken again. Gilorn was skilled but there is only so much anyone can do.

The youngest of the guards stared at the wine, it was a good wine, of a very nice vintage and he licked his lips. " You know, we ought to taste the food, just to make sure that it is alright."

The older guard frowned. " I don't think Gilorn will approve of that idea, but then again, it can't do any damage if we take a small sip of the wine, I feel positively parched. "

The young one nodded, grinning widely. " Exactly, just a small sip, to make sure it isn't corked or anything like that."

The other guard had to laugh. " No, that would be very bad, if we offered a wounded ellon vinegar."

They pulled the cork out of the bottle and took a swift swig each.

* * *

The feast was a very somber one, in fact it reminded them all of a funeral wake more than a joyful occasion. Thranduil was glad Galion was so outspoken and such a great actor, he was positively radiant where he sat, sharing gossip hoping nobody would question its origin. The disguise didn't exactly make his enthusiasm look natural but everybody was listening and that was what they had hoped for. If they could positively over-flood the crowd with talk they wouldn't have time to make any questions at all. Gilorn sat there with a glass of wine in his hands and he was listening to the shorter elleth and he was frowning. What she told everbody was probably true, but it was also most likely old news. And both were nervous, he could see it since he was such a very well trained physician and able to detect the symptoms of unease and discomfort even in those who tried to hide them. After all, he had been a healer for ages and he had worked for Oropher too and that ellon was stubborn enough to claim that a broken leg was " just a small inconvenience".

Heck, the whole family was like that and he had often been driven half-ways to despair due to it. He remembered when the first of the king's grandsons were born, Beria had waited to tell anyone of the fact that she had gone into labor until the baby was almost crowning and Gilorn had been furious. And when his brother was born she had continued to work in the garden long after the water broke. They were tough, they were all tough but it came with a prize. The shorter elleth was telling everybody of how the captain of the guard force of Imladris, Glorfindel, had been found sleeping in some servant maidens room, dead drunk with pink ribbons tied to certain body parts when there was a sudden disturbance coming from the back of the room. Someone was screaming and Gilorn felt his heart take a plunge towards the floor, or at least that was what it felt like.

He got to his feet, others did too, some guards drew their swords just in case and Alagir called out."Gilorn, quickly!"

The healer ran and stopped, shocked by what he saw. It was one of the guards he had left at the door to the infirmary, the older one. He was barely able to stand, clutching his stomach desperately and he smelled of vomit and pain. Gilorn gasped and helped the ellon sit down into a chair, the guard's eyes were rolling in his head and he was moaning. " Help, my partner…he is unconscious…"

Gilorn swore. "The patients, they are in danger, someone run and guard them."

The guard wheezed. " I ordered five…of the guards by the…main corridor…to take our place"

Gilorn let out a sigh of relief. "Good, very good, that was quick thinking."

He waved his hand towards the other healers present. " Run, get to his partner, get him into the infirmary and get some coal into him, fast"

The healers all ran and Gilorn pulled a small bottle from his belt, he always carried it just in case and it contained a concoction he had made himself, it was anti-dote to almost every known poison and very efficient but also very expensive. The guard did drink it all but his face told everything there was to know of the taste. " Easy there now, this will help"

The guard groaned. " I would rather have a good glass of wine"

Gilorn shook his head and shooed several curious elves away from them, the crowd that had gathered was getting a bit too big for his liking. " Wine will only make it worse, believe me. What happened?"

The guard shuddered and moaned again, it was obviously still rather painful and he was sweating. Gilorn did notice that the two Imladris ellith both looked utterly shocked and terrified and nobody could fake that sort of emotions. They had nothing to do with this. "We…we stood there, guarding the door, and an elleth came with a tray of food for the two wounded"

Gilorn stared at the guard. "What are you talking about?! I haven't ordered anything of that sorts, they are not able to eat even if they were conscious."

The guard closed his eyes, his face twisting with pain. " I had that thought too, yes. But my partner suggested we should have a swig of the wine, just to test it you know. And we did"

Gilorn hissed between his teeth, he was shocked. " How much did you have?"

The guard shrugged. " A mouthful, nothing more."

Alagir stood there and he was pale, his eyes were huge. " The wine was poisoned?"

Gilorn nodded. " Yes, a very strong poison too, I think I know which one and it makes me very worried."

He grasped the guards wrist, counted his heartbeats. " You will make it, you are big and muscular and it is worse for those small or frail. If you had been an elleth it would have killed you the moment you swallowed that wine."

The guard rolled his eyes in pain. " It was meant for the patients wasn't it?"

Gilorn nodded, his face was hard, eyes ablaze with anger. " Yes and no, the one behind all of this doesn't want any witnesses, he or she wanted you out of the way first. The elleth who brought you the wine, who was she?"

The guard looked confused. " I have no idea, I have never seen her before, a servant maid. Rather ordinary looking, dark blonde, shapely too."

Gilorn bit his teeth together, he just hoped that the one responsible for all these deaths and attempts at murder wasn't an elleth. He had lived long enough to know that females are the ones you ought to fear, a male can be dangerous but a female is ten times worse if she feels like she has something to avenge or someone to protect. And he was getting a growing and terrible suspicion, something had slipped his mind, evaded his keen mind, until now. The truth was even more tragic than he had imagined.

He turned around, caught the attention of the kings personal guards. " From now on, do not let any female enter the kings chambers, have somebody taste everything he is to eat and check even his bedsheets for any residue."

The guards bowed and Alagir frowned. " Residue?"

Gilorn nodded. " Yes, there are poisons which can be smeared onto objects and absorbed through the skin. The one who did this is clever, and has skills. It is no mere amateur."

Alagir felt almost like swooning, this was a nightmare. "What makes you say that?"

Gilorn had put a hand on the guards forehead, felt his temperature, continued to check his pulse. " It is a poison used by some avarin tribes, I recognized it the moment I saw him, his pupils are dilated and he is sweating profusely but the main symptom is the agony within his stomach."

Alagir swallowed. " Avarin tribes?"

Gilorn nodded sternly. " Yes, the more primitive ones. The poison used is a distilled version, much more potent than the one they use. It is mostly used against ants, lice and other vermin but in concentrated doses it is extremely lethal and it is made from mixing the extract of some very rare mushrooms with some just as rare herbs. Few know about it, in fact I think this person must have had some contact with those tribes. "

Alagir looked eager all of a sudden. "But then we can narrow the list of suspects can't we? They have to know if they have been visited by outsiders don't they?"

Gilorn had a faraway look upon his face. " I am not so sure that they will know that they have, anyone that patient and determined are sure to have covered his or her steps."

Alagir looked as if he didn't understand much and Gilorn gestured for two guards to come closer. " You two, help your comrade here to the infirmary. There is something I need to check out, right now!"

The guard was getting better by the minute but he was still in a lot of pain and Alagir realized that it had to have taken a lot of strength and determination to get to the feast hall without collapsing. This was one very stubborn ellon and he promised himself that he would make sure that the brave elf was being rewarded for his courage.

Gilorn walked off and Alagir was on his heels, Elhedran had not been at the feast but he had heard the racket and came running and he looked very confused and scared. Oropher called for him to come to the throne and the young ellon obeyed, although very reluctantly. From now on there would be no privacy whatsoever for any of the royal family.

Gilorn ran to the room where Alagir's fiancé was laying, she was unconscious like before and Gilorn took his robe off and hung it on the wall before he pulled the sleeves of his tunic up and gently removed the blanket covering the elleth. Alagir looked confused, even shocked. "What is it that you are doing?!"

Gilorn was gently palpating the elleth's body, squeezing and pushing and she didn't respond at all. She was breathing and her heart was beating, that was all. " I think I made a mistake earlier Alagir, when she got poisoned."

Alagir gasped. "What?!"

Gilorn mumbled something, his hands slid over the elleth's belly and then he hissed and let go, his eyes rather dark with emotions. " I was convinced that the poison was meant for you, that you were the target. I failed to understand what she had done."

Alagir frowned. " Slow down, what in heck's name are you talking about?"

Gilorn washed his hands thoroughly in the basin nearby, he looked angry. " She collapsed and fell unconscious right away, no pain, no convulsions, nothing. It worked fast, too fast. Tell me Alagir, did she act as normal before this happened to her?"

Alagir opened and closed his mouth a few times. " Ah, yes?"

Gilorn was staring at him with narrow eyes, there was a flame of deep determination burning within that normally gentle gaze. " Are you absolutely sure about that? She didn't ask you any unusual questions? Receive unexpected gifts? Forget to show up when she was supposed to?"

Alagir almost growled, he grasped onto his belt just to hold onto something. " What is this Gilorn, what are you suggesting? That she has done something wrong?"

Gilorn sighed. " Yes Alagir, I am sorry, but I think your sweet fiancé here has hidden something from you. Something rather important. And she has probably been feeding information to somebody who we now know are out to get you all"

Alagir almost tossed a bed pan at the healer. " No, that is not true, she would never do anything like that. What makes you even suggest something that outrageous"

Gilorn took a deep breath. " Alagir, as a healer I see a lot, and I know things about others that I can never tell anyone, but sometimes even I get stunned by what some people are capable of doing. Did you ever sleep with her?"

Alagir scoffed, he looked rather embarrassed and also angry. " No, of course not! She is a decent elleth, of good family! She wanted to wait until we were properly married"

Gilorn stared at the floor. " Alagir, she has been with child, I didn't check before because I didn't suspect what I now do, but there is no mistake"

Alagir looked like a fish tossed onto dry land, gaping." What?! No! That is…impossible"

Gilorn sat down, he looked old all of a sudden. " A month before she was poisoned an elleth came to me, asking for some remedy against stomach cramps. I found some herbs but after she had left I realized that a box was missing from the cupboard where I keep all my most dangerous medicine. A box containing…a poison used to cause an abortion. I looked for that elleth for weeks, desperate to find her for it is very dangerous if used in the wrong way. But I didn't find her. Although I did discover something which I didn't really thought of back then, your fiancée had two chamber maidens when she arrived here, suddenly she had only one, and she was nowhere to be seen for more than a week"

Alagir swallowed. " She went to visit her sister?"

Gilorn shook his head. " No, she went to hide the fact that she was removing the evidence of a mistake she had done, and somebody knew of it. Somebody who from that moment on controlled her. That she drank that poison wasn't by accident Alagir, yes it was you the murderer wanted dead but she knew and so she tried to end herself, before she could be forced to reveal even more secrets, before she could bring shame to your name."

Alagir shook his head. " No, no, absolutely not! I refuse to believe you! Why are you saying this? It is just lies, she would never do that, no elf would commit suicide!"

Gilorn smiled, a very sad smile. " No? Oh I know of several. If the burden of grief or guilt becomes too harsh even the strongest will break, and I think she was under terrible pressure. She couldn't tell, but she could warn you. By dying from the poison meant for you"

Alagir keened, stared at the lifeless face. " Oh Aranya, why?"

Gilorn continued to smile. " She loved you Alagir, of that I am most certain. To a female no sacrifice is too great if it can save the ones she loves. Somebody knew of her little predicament, heck, placed her in that situation and that somebody used it to blackmail her, to get access to everything here, to even your father's seal."

Alagir sat down, legs shaking. " Why didn't she die?"

Gilorn reached out, touched his hand gently. " The medicine used to induce a miscarriage stays within the body for months, it gets stored up in the liver. And it is almost an antidote to the poison used today, and back then. She didn't die because it still was in her system, it kept her vital organs from shutting down but her brain is probably damaged."

Alagir stroked a thin pale hand, if he had only known. " Who did this to her? Why didn't she tell me if she was carrying somebody else's baby? I…I was sure I was her one, the only one she cared about!"

Gilorn went over to a cupboard, retrieved a small vial and Alagir's eyes got narrow. " That looks like the one I found at the old palace?!"

Gilorn smiled but the smile was bitter, angry, almost sinister in nature. " Yes, do you understand it all?"

Alagir heaved for breath. "Eru, no! Oh Gods please no! Don't say it, it is…it is too terrible!"

Gilorn sighed and put the vial back in place, hands shaking slightly. " Aranya comes from a family which is rather important, with a lot of power, and they are all very pious. Imagine her situation, waking up next to somebody, not your fiancé, knowing you allowed yourself to be seduced and not being aware of having been drugged into submission. Imagine the shame, the fear, the utter self-loathing that she must have felt. She did well hiding it all but when she found out she was with child it must have been like the end of the world, and she was truly and thoroughly lost. I bet the one behind it all knew exactly how to play her, how to pretend to be helpful and understanding while entangling her further into the web of lies and deceit. At the end there was no way out for her, no other option than to warn you in the only way she could."

Alagir was breathing heavily, felt like he was about to swoon. " Then the one we seek is most certainly a male."

Gilorn shrugged. " And the evidence points towards a female, so I start to suspect that there are more people involved. "

Alagir gasped. " Mandos mercy, then it will be almost impossible to find them. "

Gilorn just looked sad and Alagir swallowed hard. " Aranya was brave, and she did trust me, I know she did. Why didn't she tell me? She knew I would have helped her, in every way that I can?"

Gilorn bit his lower lip, looked away. " The missing chamber maiden? Her very good friend? Your missing nephew?"

Alagir hissed. " Oh Melkor's breath, I understand. But why hasn't the culprit or culprit's tried to kill her again?"

Gilorn caressed her pale cheek almost lovingly. " Because there is no point in killing anybody twice no is there? The chances that she will wake up are non-existent. Her fëa has already fled, is in the halls."

Alagir closed his eyes. " Gilorn, sometimes I think I hate you!"

The healer nodded. " I know, people always hate the ones who tell the truth, because it forces them to change their perspective, to change how they view the world. It is never pleasant, and never welcome"

The prince closed his eyes. " So now what? What do we do?"

Gilorn sighed. " We wait, for the daughter to arrive, she will probably help us achieve at least one of our goals, to discover who our enemy is."

Alagir sighed and slumped back against the chair, he felt exhausted, and shocked and utterly aghast too. Yes, she had been acting weird when he thought of it but so had they all back then, he hadn't thought anything of it. He felt a burning sensation of pure rage rushing through his veins, churning in his heart. The one behind this ought to burn for what he or she had done, it was despicable beyond description. " I pray she will be here soon"

Gilorn sighed and put his robe back on. " So do I!"

* * *

It was like a curse, like the worst shock ever. He had failed! Those darn guards had drank the wine but they hadn't died, he had misjudged the dose! And that huge one had alerted the other guards, damnation. They had to die, both of them. If they woke up then it was all over, they would know! But he was patient, he had time and he had power. It would all be alright, he just had to play the cards the right way, yes. It could be used, exploited even. And that darn prince would be next, and by the way, Gilorn was way too clever. He had to go to, there had to be a way to get rid of that old nag, he saw way too much and if he appeared to be getting too close accidents are prone to happen every now and then. Yes, it had to be an accident, to throw them off the track so to speak. But they would never figure it out, not until it was all too late.

* * *

Thranduil and Galion had just stood there while the healer treated the poisoned guard, both to shocked and terrified to really be able to react. Thranduil's first instinct and thought was to protect his father but he couldn't draw any attention to himself so he just stood there, feeling like a useless moron while an unseen killer was stalking them all, everybody he cared about.

Galion hissed and stood there, pale as a ghost and not exactly a pretty sight. " The murderer was after your uncle and that elleth!"

Thranduil whispered back. " I can think Galion, I am not daft, what are we to do?"

They retreated back to some benches at the back of the hall, elves were scurrying around, some in a state of slight panic and others looked rather calm although worried. " I don't know, I think Alagir and Gilorn are trying to get to the bottom of this, I can sense it somehow, that they are in league."

Thranduil nodded. " And Elhedran is trying to do something too, but he is way too young and inexperienced for something like this. I don't want to shed our disguise yet."

Galion hissed. " Eru no, we can't. If the enemy finds out who you are things will get nasty really fast."

Thranduil just nodded. " I know, so the best way we can help them is by staying in character. But it is darn hard, so very darn hard."

Galion smiled, a sad grin. " I know, if we only knew more."

Thranduil was getting up, trying to pull the rather bothersome skirts of his dress closer when there was a racket by the entrance yet again, and this time it wasn't a guard storming in half dead but an ellon riding into the feast hall on a foaming colt, clinging onto the half wild animal for dear life. He jumped from the horse and tossed himself before the king's feet, panting and wild eyed. " My liege, look what I found in the woods"

He held a hand out, the guards were ready with their blades but the king took a tentative step forth, reached out and retrieved something from the ellon's hand. Something barely visible. He stared at it, the other elves there were silent, the atmosphere tense. The horse was grasped by a pair of servants who took the shaking animal to the stables but the rider stayed where he was, sitting on the floor, heaving for air. Oropher was suddenly shivering, making a keening almost piercing sound and Elhedran ran forth, grasped his grandfather before he could collapse. He took whatever it was the king was holding and stared at it too, then he screamed and the guards looked extremely confused. What was this? What were they to do? Could they do anything at all?

Some servants came running as if their robes were on fire, got the king back into his chair, tried to calm the young prince who wailed and refused to sit down. " Orodhran, it is his hair, it is his hair, I swear, I recognize his scent, let go of me!"

The king's butler grasped the rider, pulled him onto his feet. "Where did you find this, tell me, now!"

The young sylvan pointed out towards the woods. " In the forest, the area behind the bog, with the old oak grove."

The butler was pale, shivering with a mixture of emotions that was rather volatile. "Guards. Assemble a troop, no three troops of our finest warriors, search that area, leave not a rock nor a leaf untouched."

The guards ran to follow his order and Alagir and Gilorn came rushing into the room, they had heard the racket and both were scared that something tragic had happened. Alagir just blinked, didn't understand and Elhedran staggered forth. " His hair, this ellon has found some of my brothers hair, it is his, I recognize it. He is out there somewhere, we may find him!"

Alagir gasped, then he burst into action, grasped onto one of the servants. " Go to the stable, have my horse saddled, now!"

The servant ran off and Elhedran was sobbing. " I am going too!"

Alagir almost sneered. " No, you are not! And that is final. You stay here and you stay safe, you hear me? I will go looking for your brother and I will return with him, dead or alive. I swear that by Eru. But I cannot do anything whilst worrying about your safety too."

Elhedran was growling back, the family heritage clearly present in him too, the proud stare and chin thrust forward. " I am not some elfling, I refuse to stay here while my brother could be out there dying!"

Alagir was about to answer when a voice like thunder was heard throughout the hall. " You obey your uncle Elhedran, or I will warm your butt myself. I have had you across my knee before and I will not hesitate to do it again if you refuse to follow my orders"

Everybody stared, Oropher was standing upright, his eyes ablaze and he did look like the king that he was, strong, proud, undefeated. The news seemed to have invigorated him, brought his strength and determination back. He turned around, stared at his butler. " Bring me my armor, have my steed saddled. I am riding out."

The butler looked absolutely dumbstruck, and terrified, his eyes were bulging and he was shivering. " My lord, ah, do you think that is wise? "

The king sent the butler a piercing gaze. " I am your king, why should it not be wise? Am I some fragile crystal vase? Or a frail little elleth?"

Gilorn had managed to understand what this was about, he stepped forth. " Your highness, what he is trying to say is that it is unwise for both your son and you to leave the palace at the same time, in case something is to happen."

Oropher sighed and the flames died down within his gaze, he smiled. " Of course my old friend, you are right, The voice of wisdom right? Alagir, go, make sure he is found. And you my trusted butler, go with them, make sure that everything is done properly. I want every inch of land searched and searched again."

The butler bowed deep and smiled, relieved that the king had changed his mind. " Of course my liege"

Before twenty minutes were gone a veritable army of elves were leaving the palace, scurrying towards the forest where Anegir had found the hairs. They wouldn't rest until the source was found and the king ordered some of his best guards to stay behind to guard him and the palace. Elhedran was crying and his friends tried to calm him down and Thranduil and Galion was watching from the back of the hall, feeling terribly uncertain. What was to happen now? Could Orodhran be found, and if he was, alive? Thranduil was hoping, and praying like never before. He had to be alive, he just had to.

* * *

Shite, that wasn't supposed to happen, they would most certainly find that brat but what the hey, he was already dead by now or close to death. It didn't matter, and he could use the situation to his advantage, yes, in fact the king had done him a huge favor with his orders. That pretty prince would be vulnerable out there, unsuspecting. And there would be elves scurrying around, easy to hide among. It was perfect really, the gods were laughing for sure. This would be sweet, to see the king crumble and fall even deeper into despair, and soon he would reveal himself, and claim what was truly his, forever!

* * *

Gilorn was running back to the infirmary, the two guards had been brought there and both would survive but the youngest one would be ill for weeks if not more. He had taken more than one swig and he was lithe and slender and more susceptible to the poison. Gilorn had a shortcut he sometimes used, there was a small courtyard outside of the infirmary, it was usually never visited by anyone since it lay in the shadows all the time and he had his own personal path right across it, used only for emergencies.

He was almost running when a voice suddenly stopped him, so suddenly he almost lost balance. " You are in quite a hurry healer."

Gilorn turned around, slowly. He saw a figure underneath the shadow of a huge old beech and he recognized that silhouette. " My lady"

The elleth walked forth, into the light. She was a stunning and exotic sight, wearing only a loincloth of rabbit's skin and some high boots. Her body was covered with tattoos, and her long hair filled with small amulets and magical objects. She did look like the shaman she was, and she was way older and way wiser than anyone else Gilorn knew of. Her powers were of a kind few even regarded as magic but they were real and Gilorn had the greatest respect for them. " I am glad you could come"

She cocked her head. " I am rarely summoned by the sindar these days, something terrible is happening and you need answers to why."

Gilorn swallowed, took a peek around. " Yes, and I don't think we are safe, we ought to…"

She chuckled. " Nobody will see us, nobody will hear us, fear not. My magic shields this place for as long as I wish."

Gilorn felt a bit nervous, he could feel that energy that flowed off her, wild and untamed like a river during the spring floods. " I thank thee my lady, the situation is dire."

She grinned. " Then ask your question, do not hesitate."

Gilorn took a deep breath. " Oropher's father, did he have a wife before he was married to Oropher's mother? Did they have a child?"

She cocked her head, her eyes were glittering in the semi darkness of the garden, she looked like a predator. " Gilorn, there are few feelings so strong they cannot be fought, love is one, hatred another. But stronger still is the feeling of loss, and it can turn ugly, it can become something terribly poisonous."

Gilorn frowned. " And?"

She sat down, gracefully, her huge emerald green eyes and dark auburn hair shone. "Yes, he did have a wife, one he loved more than anyone else. And yes, she was carrying his child when they were forced apart by the greycloak's schemes."

Gilorn felt his throat go dry. " Tell me more!"

She stared him straight in the eye. " The baby was a boy, a beautiful little boy so like his father but Thingol didn't want that elfling to inherit any power from his father. He had it taken from the poor mother and placed into the hands of another ellon, one with a barren wife."

Gilorn frowned. " So then he had something resembling a heart after all."

She scoffed. " Do you think so? The boy was never accepted Gilorn, never loved. He never felt at home nor at ease for he knew he wasn't a part of that family, that his blood was calling out for somebody else."

The healer felt something creeping in on him, something dark." And then?"

She grinned, he saw sharp teeth in that grin, saw something wicked, almost sinister. " He became talented, became strong. There was magic in him Gilorn, inherited through his true mother. She died of heartbreak when he was taken from her, and through others he learned about it, learned who he was."

Gilorn was trembling, his eyes huge. " He knew he was the son of a noble man?"

She nodded slowly, her fingers trailing the pattern of one of her tattoos. " Yes, by then he was an adult, had a family. And he had never tried to contact his original family, had probably tried to understand, to accept the life he was living. It failed. "

Gilorn stared at her. " What happened?"

The female sighed. " His father died Gilorn, brought down by orcs. He saw that he had a half-brother, that he had kin and he went to Elu to be given what was rightfully his. He was laughed at, rejected, tossed out."

Gilorn bit his teeth together. " Elu was sometimes rather callous yes."

She raised an eyebrow. "Rather? Oh he was in some ways a worse monster than those he claimed to be abominations. At least they fought for something truly theirs, and to avenge their dead kings. But Elu, oh beautiful grand Elu, he was in his heart of hearts only interested in one thing, and that was power, control. And as long as he was on the right path that maia of his urged him on. "

Gilorn didn't say anything, he knew this already. "He was blind to the realities, blind to anything but his own right to rule, to create what he saw as a perfect realm. Perfection comes at a prize and it was ghastly."

Gilorn moaned. " The sacking!"

She nodded again, eyes shimmering and the color going deeper. " Oh yes, and the family of that poor ellon was eradicated, wife, children, they all perished. All were put to the axe by the dwarves of the north. He disappeared, but he is here now."

Gilorn leaned forth. " Oh Eru's mercy, I sort of guessed something like that, who is he? Please tell me!"

She got up, her grace unbelievable even for an elf. " That I cannot tell you my friend, but know this, he is close, too close. And not what you think, there is magic in him remember? There are those here who know of what I speak, others not who they appear to be. You will need them, you will need their help. The truth rests with them, will be brought forth through them, but only if the valar are merciful. Pray that they are Gilorn."

He gasped. " Oh there has to be some more you can tell me? That was not very useful at all now was it?"

She turned around again, eyes luminous and terrifying and for a moment Gilorn remembered the old tales, claiming that Luthien wasn't the only half maiar wandering the woods. " The king may regain a nephew but lose a son, and the dead will speak to the one who can listen. There is still time, but it is running out."

Gilorn went pale as a ghost. " Eru, Alagir!"

The smile he received from her made him shiver from head to foot. " Yes, the enemy is out there Gilorn, and there is naught you can do now. Keep the king safe, seek the truth among the hidden ones, you know of whom I speak. Seek the seal of Melian, it will show you the way"

She was gone, in a flash, Gilorn stared around himself, eyes wide with disbelief and shock and he was trembling. Then he whimpered and turned around, ran like he had a pack of orcs at his heels. He had to warn Alagir, he had to get there in time, before it was too late!

* * *

 **Oh yes, another cliffhanger, muahahahah! Oh this is so much fun, it is writing itself, all I do is provide the story with a set of fingers writing away and a keyboard and a computer. If all stories were this well-behaved.**

 **And as always, a biiiig thank you to all reviewers and followers, you are the best, truly you are!**


	8. And the dead will speak

This Chapter does contain some unpleasant scenes, if you cannot watch Bones without retching don't read the last part. You are warned!

* * *

Chapter eight: And the dead will speak…

Thranduil and Galion were still standing in the hall, a huge group of elves had gathered there by now and it was a slightly chaotic scene. Everybody was talking to each other and the noise was unbelievable. Elhedran was surrounded by his friends but he looked very lost and it didn't seem that the comforting words did reach him at all. Thranduil did pity his nephew, he would have wanted to hold the young elf and comfort him but it was impossible.

Galion was fidgeting with his sleeves, he was slightly pale and trembling and Thranduil put a hand on his shoulder in a friendly gesture that didn't seem too intimate. Just two sisters comforting each other in a difficult situation. Galion almost sneered. " If they find Orodhran alive the one behind it all will be exposed, everything may happen"

Thranduil nodded. " I know, and I fear for my father. They have guards there but we cannot trust that they will be enough. Not if the bastard is desperate."

Galion swallowed hard. " If the one is a relative then that person is most likely to look a lot like the rest of the family, but I haven't seen anyone here fitting those descriptions."

Thranduil nodded. " Yes, but the person could look like his or her mother's kin too, we cannot let our assumptions blind us."

Galion sighed. " True words, so the one who did all this could be anyone"

Thranduil felt almost lost, he didn't know what to do, or what to think. The few clues they had were almost worthless without further information and he felt as if he was pounding his head against a solid wall. He had to protect his father and his family but what good could he really do? Painfully little!

He was going to ask Galion to follow him back to their room when Gilorn came rushing into the room as if he was being chased by an army of angry balrogs. The healer was deathly pale and his eyes huge and dark, Thranduil had never seen him like that before. It had to be something truly terrible to frighten the old healer like that. Gilorn grasped Elhedran and whispered something to him, the young prince tensed up and stared at Gilorn with disbelief but he nodded vigorously and Gilorn let go and ran again, heading towards the stables.

Elhedran bit his lower lip and trembled, his eyes glazed over and distant and then he turned on his heel and ran too, as if he was very determined and knew exactly where he was going. He ran past the two huge ellith and Thranduil could hear him whisper. " You two, follow me, the library, now"

They waited for a few minutes, then they slowly left the hall and hurried down the stairs to the library. Elhedran stood by the entrance, he was pale and shivering and Thranduil could see that he was sweating. Thranduil stopped, he felt his heart beating hard, what was this?

" Yes?" He managed to keep his voice soft and light and Elhedran sighed and hid his face behind his hands for a second.

"Gilorn told me something, he has spoken to a sylvan shaman who knew our family from the very beginning, the one behind this is Oropher's half brother, born to his father's true wife. And he is here, and Alagir is in danger."

Thranduil almost squeaked, he blinked and tried to stay cool, stay calm and in character. "Why are you telling us this?"

Elhedran sort of snorted. " I…I sort of feel as if I can trust the both of you, I don't know why but…I do."

Thranduil felt deeply moved. " And you can young one, believe me you can. How may we be of assistance?"

Elhedran took a deep breath and opened the door. " She had told him that the truth may rest with the hidden ones, and that he ought to seek the seal of Melian, it would show the way."

Galion frowned, in his female disguise that looked almost threatening. " The seal of Melian?! What is meant by that?"

Thranduil tried to think. " Ah, the thing that springs to my mind is of course the girdle but that was a magical barrier, not a solid object. But I guess she had to have a sort of seal of her own, most noble people do."

Elhedran stared at the two with trust. " Yes, and I bet it must have been a grand one too, so we are to look for some kind of symbol and I thought that the library was a nice place to start."

Galion aka Andäre nodded. " A good idea, we have to look within the oldest books and scrolls here."

Elhedran smiled and looked eager. " Yes, there are a few books and scrolls here which date back to Doriath, we should have a good chance of finding it among them."

He ran off and they followed, he stopped by two huge shelves which were almost a hundred feet long and three meters tall. Thranduil moaned to himself, a few? A few thousand was more like it, and they didn't have that much time, he just knew it. He rolled up his sleeves mentally and smiled at Elhedran. " Alright young one, we start at different ends and discard any book or scroll that clearly is unimportant or insignificant to our search."

Elhedran stared at Altäre and was struck by how noble the ugly elleth appeared, she clearly had some class after all. " Yes, good luck"

Thranduil growled to himself. They would really need luck, yes, a lot of it!

Gilorn had gotten a horse and he rode as hard as he dared after the group that had left just half an hour earlier. He didn't believe that he could catch up with them, they rode war horses trained for this terrain while his palfrey was a more stocky animal suited for less than skilled riders. But he hoped he could get there in time, by Eru how he prayed as he pushed the small horse forth.

Alagir and the others had reached the area where the stable hand had found the hairs, they dismounted and the elves formed a tight line while they walked through the rather dark and dank forest. The prince felt how cold chills ran down his spine, this place was morbid to say the least. The dead trees, the rotting moss and lichens dangling from branches that looked like the arms of some half dissolved corpse. Oh by Eru he was being so stupid, frightening himself like some elfling not yet come of age. It was a forest damn it, not some orcish stronghold.

The line moved steadily and the warriors at the ends placed sticks in the ground to be able to know where they had been looking. The area they were searching through couldn't be that large, mice have a rather small area they call their own and suddenly one of the warriors let out a shout. " Here, look at this!"

Everybody ran towards him and Alagir gasped, he could see a faint shape underneath the fallen trees and thick layer of dead leaves and dirt. It was rectangular and rather large and it had to have been the foundations of some sort of a building once upon a time. The warrior looked proud. " See? The ground has been disturbed here!"

Alagir nodded, somebody had hidden their tracks but to a trained eye it was rather obvious that there had to be something underneath the layer of leaves. Alagir swallowed hard, he felt eager and yet terrified. What if all they found was his nephew's corpse? It would of course give them closure but also immense grief. He didn't think his father would survive even more of that now.

They all waited for one of the warriors to get a shovel when the sound of hooves could be heard, somebody was riding hard towards them and the warriors immediately reached for their weapons. They all relaxed visibly when Gilorn came into view, he rode a small horse and the animal was panting and foam dripping off it. He jumped off the horse and ran towards Alagir who stared at the healer with confusion. " Your majesty, you are in danger"

Alagir frowned. " What the heck are you talking about?!"

Gilorn grasped him and pulled him close, whispered. " I spoke with the daughter, it is your half-uncle who is behind all this. And he could be here now, we don't know who he is. But I asked Elhedran to search for some clues she gave me."

Alagir scoffed. " There are more than thirty warriors here, trained by the best. How could there be any danger?"

Gilorn just breathed hard. " I don't know but she told me that the king might gain a grandson but loose a son."

Alagir froze, he felt paranoid all of a sudden, the elves gathered there stared at him and he wondered if any of them really planned for his murder even now as they spoke. He shook his head. " I am not dead yet Gilorn, and I am a skilled fighter."

Gilorn made a nasty grimace. " So was your brothers, and your uncle too. It didn't save them"

Alagir took a deep breath, he sent the healer a faint grin. " Well at least I remembered putting on my leather cuirass before I left, that gives some protection right?"

Gilorn rolled his eyes. " Yes, but we don't know what he is capable off. She told me he has magic, and that makes me terrified to say the truth. "

Alagir nodded to the warrior who returned with a shovel. " Still we have to do what we have to do. We cannot stop."

He smiled to the young elf. " Go ahead, dig."

The warrior immediately started digging and before long a dark hatch made from wood appeared, it was rather new and well put together and Alagir hissed between clenched teeth. "There, we are near!"

Everybody held their breath and the warrior lifted the hatch carefully. Beneath it a black hole appeared, like a hungry mouth leading into the very earth itself and to unknown horrors. The air that came out of the hole smelled of dirt, death and something unidentifiable that made them all feel nauseous. Alagir moaned, he felt dizzy and Gilorn grasped him by an arm. " You are not going down there my lord, no way!"

Alagir growled at him. " I have to!"

The butler came forth, he looked nervous. " I would strongly recommend that you let the warriors deal with this, it might be booby trapped"

Gilorn nodded. "Yes, listen. Don't embrace danger as if your life is worthless."

Alagir grasped Gilorn by his elbows. " It could be my nephew down there, suffering or dying, or maybe even dead. I need to know!"

Gilorn rolled his eyes and the butler shifted his weight, looked distraught. " Sire, your father will not approve of this!"

Alagir grasped a torch somebody gave him and sent the two a rather stiff grin. " He isn't here, I am going."

Gilorn whimpered. "Then by Eru, be careful!"

Alagir knelt down, a ladder was leading down into the darkness and he grasped onto it. " I will try"

It was perfect, but it could have been better. That darn healer could have stayed back at home but then again, what was one more now? He had a whole cache of victims hidden there but they would never find them.

He would dispose of that nosy old ellon too, the traps would most certainly help him get rid of the prince and this would be so sweet. Gilorn couldn't be alert the whole time, the chaos would hide his actions perfectly. All he had to do was to wait, like a spider waits for a fly to become helplessly entangled in its web.

Thranduil had never thought that he could get ill from reading but now he was, his head was throbbing and the words were dancing in front of his eyes. They had worked like mad trying to find a book or scroll with the seal in them but so far nobody had been in any luck. Not even official papers had anything on them that resembled the seal of a queen and he was beginning to despair.

Galion was sometimes swearing in a not exactly feminine way and Elhedran looked shocked, both were covered in dust since the bookshelves didn't get dusted that often and Galion swore again and brushed a dead dried mouse down off the top shelf. He cringed and pulled out yet another book. " The laws and customs of the eldar, this book is infamous, it is so filled with lies and assumptions it should have been placed on the shelf reserved for fairy tales and not here"

Thranduil scoffed and Elhedran looked curious, " Oh? What is wrong with it?"

The young elf stared at Andäre with such innocence and Thranduil sent the lad a gentle smile. " It was written by humans, who didn't know anything about us elves at all and just made things up. For instance, the book claims that an elf has to get married before his or hers fiftieth begetting day to be considered an adult and that we only…uh…get physical…with one other person throughout our life."

Elhedran giggled. " Really? Oh that is truly bullshit. I had an uncle who was infamous for bedding a lot of other elves, both genders if I don't remember it wrong"

Thranduil inadvertently cringed and hid it as a cramp in his leg, if his nephew only had known who he really was talking to. " Uh, yes, that is not uncommon, among the yet unwed."

He hurried pulling out another book. " Dishes and desserts made from carrots? Who writes a book about that?! "

Galion pulled out another book, he had a naughty grin upon his face. " Look at this one, a hundred ways to please your partner, I think it is illustrated."

Elhedran blushed a crimson red and Thranduil managed to throw a stern glance at his "sister" He waved a finger. " Easy there sis, there are young ones present, do not expose this innocent young lad to such depravity"

Galion just managed to press out a rather strange sounding giggle before he continued searching through the books.

Thranduil was rubbing his temples, darn the light was bad down there and his eyes were strained, he felt tired and yet desperate and he grasped two books and pulled them out of the shelf, a loose sheet dropped out from beneath them and he caught it in the air with a swift movement. He stared at the sheet, it was made from very good parchment and had to be a part of a very official looking document for he clearly saw the signature of Elu Thingol on it, and that ellon had a handwriting that was just as pompous and grand as himself. But on the other side of the sheet he saw something that almost made him howl. In a very neat handwriting he saw the name of the former maiar queen of Doriath and underneath it in wax what could only be her seal. It looked like a snake with a head in both ends, and it was rolled into a ring with both heads staring at each other.

"Got it!" He almost shouted it out but managed to keep his voice in female mode, Galion almost fell off the small chair he was standing on and Elhedran squeaked.

"You have found it?!" The young prince ran forth and snatched the sheet, stared at it. " Uh-oh, I think I have seen that one before."

Thranduil felt his throat go dry. " Where?"

Elhedran swallowed. " In the treasury, on an old chest made from gold and jewels."

Galion moaned. " Oh Morgoth's stinking arse, I bet that is what we have to get our hands upon, it would be just so typical"

Thranduil tried to think. " Is it big?"

Elhedran frowned, tried to remember. " Gee, I only saw it once, ah, no. It is about the size of that book over there"

He grabbed a rather huge book about herbs and nodded. "Yes, approximately this size."

Galion made a weird grimace. " Right, so what could it be that is hidden within it? What is so important about it?"

Thranduil bit his lip. "It has to be that chest, I cannot think of anything else here carrying that seal, we haven't seen any books and there is nothing else left here from Doriath"

Elhedran frowned. " How would you know?"

Galion saved the situation with his quick thinking. " Our Lord Elrond has kept a list of things saved from Doriath, we saw it once but the chest isn't on it, nor is these books. I guess he wasn't as informed as he thinks he is."

Elhedran looked truly puzzled. " Why would some noldorin lord want to keep a record of things saved from Doriath?!"

Thranduil was close to hitting himself for being so careless but Galion just smiled as if it was the most natural thing in the world. " Oh, you know, he does descend from Elu Thingol too, on his mother's side, I guess he always have wanted to get his hands on something of hers, just to feel some sort of connection I guess"

Elhedran nodded. "I know that of course, sorry, I forgot about Elwing. But back to the chest, we have to get it, and I know for sure that only daeradar has the keys to the vaults."

Galion looked a bit mischievous all of a sudden. " Are you absolutely sure about that young one? I have read somewhere that there always is a spare set of keys kept just in case the king does lose his personal ones."

Elhedran blinked, then a grin spread across his face. " Of course, yes, that makes sense. But where would those key be kept?"

Galion pretended to be thinking really hard. " Who is closest to the king and takes care of his business?"

Elhedran beamed. " My uncle, but he is unconscious?"

Galion smiled. " I bet the keys are in his rooms, where are they?"

Elhedran blinked twice. " Next to daeradar's. But, how are we to get inside without being seen?"

Thranduil smiled, a devious grin. " We aren't getting in, you are. You are his nephew after all, it will only look natural if you visit his rooms, you can claim that Gilorn has asked for you to get his nightshirt or something like that."

Elhedran looked nervous. " Oh Eru, oh, alright. There are guards there but they know me, I guess it could work."

Galion smiled. " It will young one, believe me it will. Just pretend as if nothing is wrong and relax."

Elhedran took a deep breath and straightened himself up, raised his chin. " Then I will go right now, wish me luck"

Galion crossed his fingers and Thranduil nodded. " Break a leg, hurry"

Elhedran ran off and they stared at each other, this had to work, it had to be that chest the daughter had meant, it couldn't possibly be anything else. " The lad is a good one, I hope he will be okay"

Galion squeezed Thranduil's hand. " He will, believe me he will. He is strong, just like the rest of his kin"

Alagir climbed down the rackety ladder with shivering legs, it was very dark down there and the tunnel he saw appear in the torchlight didn't look very inviting at all. Two warriors followed him down, there wasn't room for that many down there and Alagir swallowed hard. He could smell something that reminded him of an old outhouse, feces and urine and it made him cringe. Up ahead he saw several dark openings leading off from the main tunnel and one of the warriors almost squeaked. "These are old dungeons!"

Alagir nodded. " I bet you are right, but I have never heard of a fortress or castle here before?"

The other warrior hawked. " Uh, but I have. Some humans from the east settled here for a few centuries, they built a small fortress but they managed to anger the tribe who lived here then and were wiped out to the last man."

Alagir swallowed again. " Charming, now, be careful. There could be traps here."

He took one step forth and felt something brush against his foot, he froze and pure chance saved him, he was leaning a bit backwards when he touched the tripwire and a short needle like arrow whizzed by, scraping the leather of his cuirass to be embedded in the wall on the other side. He almost let out a cry in shock. " Eru, that was close!"

The warrior who first spoke was pale. " My lord, allow me, I know how to deal with such deviltry."

Alagir frowned. " You do? How?"

The ellon sent him a faint smile and removed some rope from his small backpack, he attached a sort of lead ball at the end of it and tossed it forth a few yards. It immediately caught on another tripwire and the warrior pulled and a shower of small heavy darts fell from the roof, sure to impale everybody beneath them. They were probably poisonous. " I was trained to be an assassin while living in Doriath, avoiding traps was a part of the training. Old Elu had plans for those fëanorions, but he never got to the point when he used them, or us."

Alagir hissed, the idea of their beloved first king murdering other elves like that was disturbing to say the least, what else had history managed to put a lid on? " Well, it is very welcome now, do your best."

The warrior smiled and moved on, in just fifty feet he sprung several other traps, hidden trapdoors, spears that came rushing out from the walls and two crossbows firing bolts that were rather deadly. Then they reached a branch in the corridor and the warrior stared at the walls. "These are solid, a part of the weight carrying construction. There are no traps here, it would be too dangerous."

Alagir removed some sweat from his brow. "Thank goodness for that."

They moved forth and Alagir felt that the smell got stronger. There were faint footprints in the dust, nobody had been there for weeks or so it seemed and he felt his heart sink in his chest. He ran forth, disregarding his own safety and then he stopped, dumbstruck and in utter shock.

He was staring at a small cell, thick bars were stretching across the front of it and inside on a layer of rotten straw, dirt and indescribable things lay what could only be described as a living skeleton. The body was breathing but there was no other movement and Alagir let out a shrill moan, his legs refused to carry him and he fell to his knees, keening. "Orodhran!"

The warriors sprang into action, one sort of pushed the prince out of the way and the other one grasped onto the bars and yanked them out of the way with a mighty pull. The young prince wasn't moving, his eyes sunken and distant and he was covered with sores and his own feces. The sight was horrible, Alagir sobbed and almost crawled forth, there were chains attached to the poor elf and the warriors used all their strength to pull them lose, the attachments were old and could hold a young weakened elf, not a strong warrior and certainly not two. They grasped the young elf gently and he made a moaning sound, half conscious. "No, please, not again, not again"

Alagir keened again, he realized what his nephew had been through now, and it was heartbreaking and horrifying and just awful. "Quick, we have to get him out of here. Thank Eru Gilorn is here, he can help."

The warriors carried the emaciated body between them and Alagir was aghast, he could see every bone in his nephew's body and knew that the lad was close to death, but at least he was found. Alagir let a hand slide through the tangled mess of silky hair. " I am here Orodhran, you are safe, I have got you"

The young elf just moaned once more, his lips cracked beyond belief and his skin felt like parchment, he was so terribly dehydrated and Alagir knew that the lad would die if his kidneys were damaged. Not even an elf can grow new organs and he felt tears running down his cheeks. " I will get the one who did this to you precious one, believe me, and he will suffer, he will suffer as you have suffered."

They ran back through the tunnel and Alagir climbed up the ladder, they hoisted the unconscious young ellon up as if he was a sack of flour but they had to hurry now. There was a collective gasp of shock and dread as the assembled elves saw the state of their young prince and some of the warriors broke down in tears. Gilorn just stared, his eyes huge with disbelief and his hands were shivering. " Gilorn, help him, please!"

The healer blinked, then he rushed forth, cradled the young elf in his arms and put his hand on his chest. He got pale and stared at Alagir with an expression of helpless disorientation. "He is almost gone, I cannot understand how he has managed to stay alive like this."

Alagir growled. " I don't care, do something!"

Gilorn got a grasp of himself, he was thinking as a healer again. " Were there any dangers down there? Was the air dry or wet? Any sort of mold or anything like that on the walls?"

Alagir looked confused. " Yes, there were booby traps by the dozen but one of the ellyn following me knew how to disarm them. The air was wet, why are you asking?"

Gilorn smiled stiffly, massaged the emaciated young elfs stomach gently. "Some types of mold can be downright toxic over time, and the wet air has given him some moisture I think."

Alagir swallowed, he felt dizzy. " Can he make it?"

Gilorn looked helpless once more. " I don't know, it is up to Eru now I think"

He waved his hand to the butler. " Go get your horse and ride back as fast as you can, tell them we are returning with the prince, barely alive. And tell them to meet us with a carriage and order the other healers to be ready."

The butler nodded and ran off towards the horses and Gilorn sighed and stroked the matted dirty hair. Saving this one would be a difficult task indeed. ¨

Elhedran was calmly walking through the corridor towards his uncle's living quarter, he felt nervous but hid it well. There were guards by the doors everywhere now but he knew them and they knew him. The one by his uncle's door frowned but bowed his head politely. " Are you visiting the counsellors chambers? He isn't here you know."

Elhedran flashed the guard a perfectly innocent grin. " I know, but I have forgotten a book here and now my teacher want it back, I just have to retrieve it. Gilorn said it was okay."

The guard smiled and opened the door. " Well then so young prince, but hurry. I am not really supposed to let anybody in when the owner of the chambers isn't at home. "

Elhedran smiled and entered. " I know, thanks a lot."

He waited until the guard had closed the door, then he stared at the room with wide eyes. Where did his uncle keep his keys? Oh crap, he had to find them, fast! The table by the bed? No, to obvious, the desk? First place anyone would look, where, where? Then it dawned upon him, he raced into the bathroom and stared at the huge granite bathtub his uncle was so fond of and always bragged about. Several jars of soaps and shampoos stood on the edge of it and Elhedran was aware of the fact that his uncle was very vain and proud of his long dark blonde hair. He opened one jar after the other and it was just soap until he opened a rather small one marked off as conditioner and bingo, it was the keys, hidden underneath a washcloth. Elhedran grinned and put the keys into his tunic before he raced back into the living room and grasped a book that lay on his uncle's night table. He didn't even look at the title before he walked towards the door and opened it. The guard smiled and took a peek at the book. " You found it I see, but, is that a book suitable for somebody your age?"

Elhedran took a very quick glance at the back of the book, "Lady Ithilriel's lover" it said with huge bold letters even a blind could see. He gulped. " Ah, yes, it…contains some…very nice old…poems…among other things."

The guard sent him a conspiratorially glance and winked. " It is alright lad, I won't say anything, just keep it hidden"

Elhedran blushed violently and the guard chuckled. " I remember what it was like being that young, worry not, it is normal, just don't exaggerate."

Elhedran just sent the guard a sheepish grin, wishing the ground could swallow him, but at least the guard wouldn't guess the real reason why had visited his uncle's living quarters. He raced down the stairs, keeping that darn book hidden under his arm and he met the two ellith in the basement. They looked eager and Elhedran wiped sweat from his brow. " Did you find them?"

Elhedran nodded. " Yes, but I made a blunder. I told the guard I was retrieving a book and I just happened to grasp this one, now he thinks I enjoy reading smut in bed."

He held the book out for them to see and Galion giggled. " Oh that one is rather innocent, all about romantic strolls through parks, holding hands and chaste kisses. The most erotic thing going on in that one is that the lady has torn a stocking and the male character uses it to bind a wound."

Elhedran tossed the book into a corner. " I don't care, but I don't know if there are guards by the vault."

Galion sighed. "There is, I am sure. Who would leave the vaults unguarded?"

Elhedran sighed too and looked sad. " Not daeradar, that is for sure. "

Thranduil scratched his neck. " We need some sort of distraction."

Galion growled. " Why are you looking at me sis?"

Thranduil aka Altäre smiled widely. " Because of us two, you are the most attractive one by far, and know how to behave like a lady. Tell me young one, is it common for the ladies here to store their jewelry in the vaults?"

Elhedran nodded. "Yes? But do you have any jewelry?"

Thranduil shook his head. " Nope, so you will have to help us again."

Elhedran gasped. "What?! No! I can't…"

Galion put an arm around the young ellon. " See it as a test of manhood, it doesn't need to be much, just a ring, or a bracelet or something like that. I bet there are some young sweet thing out there willing to let you borrow her stuff, just for a while."

Elhedran moaned, and rolled his eyes. " Oh by Sauron's hanging balls, this is awkward!"

Galion sent the young prince a stern glance. " Young one, that is not proper language for a prince, but fear not, just use your charm. You are inventive, I bet you can come up with something."

Thranduil grinned. " Yes, girls are so romantic, tell her some sweet and sad tale and she will swallow it, hook sinker and line, believe me!"

Elhedran grunted and bit his lip. " Alright, there is one girl I know who might…Well, I sort of know her, but she is kind and sweet and…"

Thranduil just smiled. " You don't need to say anymore, go now, hurry. Do it for your grandfather."

Elhedran ran off, blushing like mad and Thranduil sighed. " Oh to be that young again, and that innocent."

Galion just shrugged. " Oh you were perhaps that young once but innocent? No way!"

Thranduil turned around with a hurt look upon his face and lifted his chin so he stared down along his nose. " Says the one who is bragging about having lost his virginity before he even grew pubes, at least I was physically mature before I lost mine"

Galion just grinned. " I cannot be blamed for the fact that I was growing up rather fast? And that the young ellith were all over me due to my…development?"

Thranduil had to laugh." I guess not, but damn it my friend, I don't think I have ever met an ellon as experienced as you were at such a tender age."

Galion nodded with a blissful smile. " And that is where you are completely right"

Gilorn was rubbing the young prince's arms and legs, trying to get his circulation going again and the warriors were standing there in a crowd, all looking rather startled by the fact that their prince looked more like a corpse than a living elf. They had never seen anything quite like this and it had shocked them to the core. One of them broke out of the group, heading towards some trees growing in a dense cluster. He felt nauseous and he also needed to relieve himself and he walked in among the trees and sighed with relief as he got his clothes out of the way and could let it flow.

He stood there for quite a while, then he shook himself and tucked his gwib back into his pants and that was when he felt it, a sweet sickening smell that immediately sent his stomach lurching up and down. He backed up a few steps and all of a sudden there was nothing holding his weight. He crashed through something that felt rotten and a stench that was close to unbearable filled his nose. He landed on something soft and moist and when his eyes adjusted to the lack of light and he saw what he was standing in he screamed, screamed from the top of his lungs, retched and screamed again.

The others heard the terrible racket and came running, in the middle of the square structure there was now a hole, about five feet by five feet, it had to have been a rotten hatch and the warrior had stepped straight through it. He was still making some awful mewling sounds, staring up and refusing to look down and the reason was very clear. He was standing in a pile of decaying corpses and he was both pale and green. The other elves just stared in shock until Gilorn came running, he gasped at the sight and felt sick to the core but he yelled to the others. " Get some rope, pull him up damn it, now!"

A young ellon with the uniform of the house guard reacted, got some rope and the warrior grasped it desperately, his eyes wild with horror and disgust and they hauled him up rather brutally but he didn't seem to mind at all. He trembled and retched and made hollow gargling sounds, Gilorn knew the unfortunate fellow was going into some sort of shock and waved his hand at Alagir. " Go to the horses, get a bottle of brandy. I bet there is one in the saddle bags of the captain."

Alagir ran and returned with a small bottle, Gilorn put it to the trembling ellon's lips and he drank like it was water, coughed violently and drank some more. " Get him back home, now. And remove his clothes, they are filled with…stuff. And for goodness sake, don't say a word about this, I don't want to create panic."

The warrior was immediately stripped down to his skin by his friends who put a blanket around him and more or less carried him off. Gilorn stared down into the hole, it was some sort of pit, rather deep and narrow and it could have been a hole used to dump waste when the fortress was still standing, or perhaps even a well of some sort. It was hard to tell for time had been rather brutal against the crumbling rock walls. Alagir hissed. " That…that is dead elves?! But how…"

Gilorn looked strangely calm, his eyes distant. " Oh I bet I will find out just how in a short time, and more important who! Nobody is reported missing, at least from the palace. I think I know who some of these poor souls were."

One of the officers looked green. " Don't tell me you intend to examine that…heap?!"

Gilorn looked very determined. " I do, each and every one of them, even the ones who are reduced to bone."

The officer gasped for air. " But the shaft is so tight, you cannot work down there?"

Gilorn just smiled. " No I can't, so your brave ellyn here will have to remove them from the pit, each and every cadaver."

The ellon held a hand in front of his mouth. " Gilorn, you cannot ask this of my men?! Surely you must understand? These…these are dead elves damn it!"

Gilorn nodded with a stern grimace. " Yes, that is exactly what they are and I am sure you are as aware of the fact that elven corpses dissolve much faster than those of humans as I am, now that there is air present it will happen within hours! And don't you think they ought to get a proper grave, and that their relatives deserve to know what happened to their kin?"

The officer sighed. " Yes, I know, and yes, they do. I am sorry."

Gilorn patted his back gently. " Make some sort of stretcher that can be hauled up, two will go down there and place the remains onto it and the rest will lift them up, I will do the examinations. The rest of the men may stay or return to the palace."

The officer still looked green. " Oh Eru's mercy, I cannot order my men to go down there?!"

Gilorn sighed. "Then ask, politely, tempt them with something nice, like a week off or something."

The officer nodded and gathered the troops, told them of the job and Gilorn saw that the ellyn turned green, they looked as if they had tried to apply camouflage paint to their faces but after a lot of coaxing, promises of a month of vacation, thrice the normal pay and better rooms two volunteered. They climbed down looking far from happy and others managed to create a sort of stretcher using branches and a couple of horse blankets. Some of the remaining ellyn went to get their horses after having sworn to keep the terrible find secret when they got back to the palace.

Gilorn stood by the side of the pit and shouted orders, he had to know which corpse had gotten into the pit last and how they were placed in regard to the others but some were so rotten it was hard to tell and he had to use the skeleton to determine their position. The two ellyn both puked but managed to avoid puking at the dead, that would have been a rather nasty thing to do and it would also ruin any evidence. They hauled the first body up, it wasn't that rotten and it was an ellith, young and wearing the remains of a maids uniform. Her throat appeared to have been cut and Gilorn sighed and shook his head in sorrow.

Another young life, taken away too early. He had to work fast, they had to get through this before the help arrived from the palace, Orodhran were stabile for now but that wouldn't last long.

He put that body aside and the next was brought up, it was also an elleth, dark haired and her neck was broken. She had been there a little longer than the first one but not much. She too wore a maids uniform. Then there was the corpse of an ellon, so rotten he couldn't identify it at all, the poor elf had dark hair and could perhaps be a guard of some sort but it was hard to tell. The next one was an elleth, and Gilorn recognized her. The chamber maid serving Alagir's fiancé. This was where she had met her fate and under her was also an elleth, dead perhaps a week or two longer. Both had knife marks on their sternum, they had been stabbed to death. Gilorn knew her too, the elleth who had stolen that medicine. Poor soul.

Gilorn praised the fact that the hatch had been very heavy and had sealed the pit off, if it hadn't these corpses would have been dust already. There were three ellyn laying along the wall, all sylvan and only the skeletons were left of them, Gilorn identified them as sylvan due to their braids and the boots that hadn't rotted away. The two warriors were trying to breathe through their mouths while they retched and tried to treat the remains with the respect they deserved. "There is just one left, by the wall over here."

Gilorn took a peek, the corpse didn't lay flat down like the others, it was sitting up along the wall and Gilorn closed his eyes. He just knew it, that poor soul had been alive when he was tossed down there, it was awful. The warriors put the corpse onto the stretcher and it was lifted, a stream of ghastly smell followed it and Gilorn was glad most of the warriors had chosen to return home. They didn't need to see this.

The body was rather dry, it had to be the first to have been tossed into the pit and the injuries were rather apparent. Both legs were broken and it had happened at exactly the same place so it hadn't happened during the fall. Gilorn had seen enough battle injuries to know that the injury was caused by a war hammer. It had to have caused unimaginable agony, and his stomach clenched and he felt how tears were running down his cheeks. There was no other injuries to the bone except some thin grooves on some of the finger bones. The poor elf had tried to defend himself, but the enemy had probably stabbed him. Gilorn heard Alagir making keening sounds, he hadn't backed away and stood there, looking like a ghost and his eyes were filled with horror. " Who was he Gilorn?"

The healer sighed. " Hard to tell, he is of average height, average build, probably of sindar origin, wait a minute…"

There were some remains of a tunic on the body, it was impossible to tell the color as the seeping fluids from the rotting bodies above had discolored it but he thought he saw something within the half rotten fabric. He took a deep breath and grasped it, it was shiny and heavy and Gilorn almost dropped it. Alagir gasped and Gilorn lifted the beautiful ring with a huge emerald towards the light. It hadn't been seen for years, he told everybody he had lost it somehow. Alagir whimpered. " Oh Eru, that isn't possible"

Gilorn stared down at the corpse, he was shaking all over, needed air, needed to think, needed something that seemed real because this was truly a nightmare "We have been blind, we have been blind as moles. He's been there, right in front of us the whole time!"

Alagir went completely pale, then he turned and ran. " Ada, I have to warn ada!"

Gilorn's hoarse cry to make him come back had no effect, the prince ran and the healer fell to his knees, clutching the ring like it was a life line. " I am so sorry old friend, I am so sorry, so sorry"

He got up, shaking all over. " There will be no help arriving from the palace, help me get Orodhran onto a horse and nobody is to speak of what we have found to anybody, nobody can know of this until we have caught the culprit, understand?!"

The warriors looked aghast but nodded silently and Gilorn sent them all a stern glance. "Somebody ride after the prince, make sure he doesn't mention the dead bodies to anybody and protect him with your lives. And be aware, the murderer can be anybody, and I mean anybody. Trust no-one!"

Two warriors threw themselves onto their horses and rode hard after the prince and Gilorn got Orodhran onto a horse and mounted behind him. They had to hurry, they had to get back in time. The monster had to kill again to get another disguise, the magic was old, terrible and very very wicked and Gilorn swore to himself that he would see that bastard hang, no, burn! He spurred the horse and sent a swift prayer to the valar. " Keep them safe, sweet Eru, don't let it be too late!"


	9. The mask of Death

Chapter Nine: The mask of death

Elhedran was almost running through the palace, he had to find the young elleth he had spoken off, she was such a softie and would most certainly fall for his story. He knew that the young maidens often would spend time by the huge fountain located in the middle of the palace buildings and so he ran there as fast as he could. He was right, there were at least twenty young ellith gathered there, chatting away rather cheerily as young maidens often do and he felt how his steps became slower by the minute. How the heck was he to do this? He would rather face an army of orcs! The very idea of speaking to an elleth made him blush down to the soles of his feet and he was hyperventilating.

The one elleth he sought was sitting with some friends and he gathered all of his courage. He was doing this for his uncle, for his grandfather and for his brother and for them all. He walked forth as casually as he possibly could and she saw him, smiled as sweetly as ever and he stopped in front of her and put up his saddest expression. Indoriel tilted her head and he was right in his assumptions, she did have a small crush on him. " My lord, what is the matter?"

He sat down next to her, pretended to be close to tears. " Oh, it is…nothing"

She bit her lower lip, he was so handsome and she wanted to comfort him in whatever way she could. "I bet it is something, you look so sad."

Elhedran swallowed. " Oh, I am so sorry on behalf of my uncle, you know that his beloved is unconscious still?"

Indoriel nodded, she knew all about that and thought it was terribly tragic. " Yes, of course."

Elhedran made a dramatic sigh. " I had an idea, and I hoped that it would work but there is no way I can do it."

Indoriel frowned. " What kind of an idea?"

Elhedran bit his lower lip, lowered his voice. " He gave her a gift just before it happened, a very nice bracelet and I think that if she can hold that it will wake her up again. But it is in the vaults and I am not permitted to enter the vaults just like that, not without a real cause."

Indoriel was almost brought to tears too by his confession. "Oh my lord, that is so romantic, is there anything I can do to help?"

Elhedran pretended to suddenly get an idea. " Oh yes, if you could lend me something I can pretend to be depositing down there they will let me inn, and then I can find the bracelet!"

Indoriel clapped her hands and her eyes were shining. " But of course, just wait a second."

She slid of her some rings and her earrings and then she waved her hands towards the other girls. " Hurry, lend me some more, we have to help him"

The ellith giggled and before long he had his hands filled with rings and bracelets and necklaces too. He felt almost dizzy from all the voices wishing him luck. Indoriel even kissed his cheek and he was so full of adrenaline he dared to kiss her back and proclaimed that not even Luthien could match her beauty and kind heart and the elleth blushed like a rose and giggled desperately. She probably expected him to woo her from now on but what the heck, if he could save his family he could woo an orc!

Elhedran ran down to where the two ugly sisters waited and they stared with huge eyes at the load of jewelry he was carrying. " Sweet Eru?! Did you rob the entire female population here?"

Elhedran fought to catch his breath. " No, I just had a close encounter with some love sick young maidens, they did take the bait, with hook and sinker as you said. The only problem is that Indoriel probably think I am going to court her from now on."

Altarë giggled and put the jewelry into a small velvet pouch that by now looked very stuffed indeed. " Right, we have to do this just right, my sister will provide us with a distraction while we look for the chest. We have to work fast."

Elhedran frowned. " What am I to do?"

The tall elleth smiled, damn it how ugly she was. " You are following me since I am a stranger, just to make sure I don't steal anything."

Elhedran nodded and he did feel strange by now, strong, brave. He didn't know he had it in him. " Alright, let's move"

They walked towards the vaults but Andarë stayed behind to distract the guard as soon as they had entered. The guard was half asleep or looked half asleep at least and he jerked and straightened himself as they approached. " Yes, oh hello my lord, what are you doing here?"

Elhedran stepped forth, put up his most adult expression. " This guest wants to deposit her jewelry here until they are to leave again, the recent incidents have made her nervous about the safety of the palace. I have been given permission and the right keys by the king"

The guard stared at the elleth in question, he hadn't believed that any elf could be anything else than attractive but here was the exception to that rule. He almost cringed. " Okay my lord, but make it fast and do not take your eyes off her."

Elhedran lifted an eyebrow and made a gesture that the guard interpreted the right way. " I won't"

The guard opened the vault with both the help of the key Elhedran handed over to him and some magic and Altarë followed Elhedran into the huge rooms. She appeared meek and overwhelmed and as soon as they were inside Elhedran rushed towards one of the smaller chambers. " In here, fast!"

Andarë aka Galion came towards the guard, and she was walking in a way that would have been very sensual if this had been a normal elleth. Since things were as they were she looked a bit like an overgrown duck, waddling from side to side in a peculiar way. The guard almost groaned, that had to be a half orc so help him Eru. She smiled and fluttered her eyelashes and the guard backed up until he had the wall against his back. " Ah, my lady?"

She did a small curtsey and giggled, darn, it sounded like the neighing of a donkey. " Is my sister here? She mentioned going to the vaults with her jewelry?"

The guard was almost sweating, the elleth reeked of sweat and she was even uglier than her sister." Yes, yes she is here, should be right back any minute."

Andarë smiled and fluttered her eyelashes yet again. " Oh, wonderful, you can keep me company until she returns. I have a phobia against such…dark… and mysterious…places."

The guard squeaked. " But it isn't that dark, nor is it very small…uh"

The elleth was sliding up to him, like a cuddly kitten. " I am Andarë, what is your name handsome?"

The guard was looking for a way out, desperately. " Uh, I am Badhron my lady."

Andarë smiled sweetly, it looked the same way as a dog does when it is about to sneer. " Oh how wonderful that there is such strong…handsome…tall…ellyn here, protecting us poor defenseless ellith"

Galion was using every trick in the book, and taking them to whole new levels. He caressed the guards strong arm and licked his lips and knew that he looked absolutely horrible in that disguise. He giggled. " Oops, I think my stocking has come loose."

He bent down and lifted his skirt, revealing a couple of legs that had seen better days to say the least. The guard winced and the elleth made such a show of pulling the stocking up there was no doubt about it being deliberate. What in Eru's name was he to do?

Thranduil and Elhedran had found the chest, it was rather easy since it stood in the middle of the room on a frigging pedestal but the keyhole was nowhere to be found. Elhedran was sweating and Thranduil tried to think. The chest was filled with magic, and the keyhole probably hidden to sight. He let his hands slide across the smooth surface and his fingers soon found a pattern in the surface that wasn't visible to the naked eye. He followed it and before long he did find a hole. " The key, now!"

Elhedran gave him the key that had to be the right one due to its size and shape with shaking hands and the tall elleth pushed it into the chest, seemingly straight through the gilded wood. But there was a click and then the lid slowly opened and both stared into the chest. It was almost empty save from two things, a ring that looked rather anonymous and a dagger that wasn't. it was the most glaringly over decorated thing any of them had ever seen, gems and jewels filled every square inch of it and the blade itself was ridiculously short and thin. " A letter opener?"

Elhedran made a grimace, he had anticipated something far more grand than this. Thranduil shook his head. " No, this is something very powerful, and deadly too. I bet this is anything but a letter opener, and that ring? Also important."

He grasped the things and felt the magic sting and tingle his hand, he closed the lid and hid the key in his bodice, Elhedran got the ring onto his finger and the dagger was hid behind Thranduil's belt. They hurried out of the room and there they both stopped dead in their tracks. The guard was pushed up against the wall, his eyes closed and his mouth ajar as he gasped and groaned. Andarë was pressing herself up against him and her hand was on the inside of his pants, she was stroking the poor guard and judging from his expression he was close to the edge too. Thranduil tried to remain calm, sometimes Galion took things a wee bit too far. The guard suddenly tensed up, then he jerked almost violently and let out a hoarse howl and his hips were moving as in spasms, Andarë giggled and Thranduil aka Altarë hawked.

The guard opened his eyes and went beet red and Andarë stared at the floor with an apologetic grin before she pulled her hand out of the guards pants and wiped them off on his cloak. Judging by the amount of sticky white fluid she left there she did know how to handle a gwib. " Sister, what…what .."

Andarë managed to blush slightly. " Uh, I was waiting for you sister dearest, and I got carried away"

The guard was desperately lacing his pants back up, he was trembling and he obviously feared that he would end up in the dungeons for this. Elhedran sent him a rather shocked glance and Altarë grasped her sister by the collar and hauled her off. " Come here, we have to talk!"

Elhedran hurried after them and when they got far enough away from the vaults they stopped in a small alcove. " What in Eru's name were you thinking?"

Altarë had a hard time staying serious and Andarë shrugged. " He didn't come looking for you now did he?"

Altarë grinned. " No but he did come, we found the chest, and some stuff but we have no idea of how to use them"

Thranduil showed Galion the ring and the dagger and the shorter elf gasped and let his fingers slide over the dagger. " I have heard about this, when I was a…small elfling."

Elhedran was almost jumping up and down. " You have? Tell us?!"

Andarë made a grimace. " It is just a legend, but according to it that dagger can remove any sort of magic it comes into contact with if the one who wields it wants to."

Thranduil looked thoughtful. " Alright, that sounds promising, Melian had a lot of tricks up her sleeve so I guess this could come in handy. And we can use it, if the bastard who is behind this uses magic that is."

Elhedran nodded. " I don't think you could stab even a fly with that thing, it is useless!"

Thranduil managed to smile. " Oh I don't think so actually, it is made to look like the daggers the ladies use to cut the thread when they are embroidering."

Elhedran looked as if he suddenly had had an epiphany and Andarë grinned. " It is something most females carry with them at all times, nothing suspicious about it at all."

The young prince stared at the ring. " But this on the other hand?"

Thranduil stared at the ring, he immediately thought of the rings of Elrond and Galadriel but this was something very different than those forged by Celebrimbor. It had a totally different feel to it and it wasn't anyway near as powerful, but it was yet very strong and Elhedran rubbed his finger along the golden band and admired the beautiful shine of the gold. It was only adorned with a small amethyst and the stone wasn't even well shaped. It wasn't sparkling at all. Elhedran sighed and lifted the ring to see if he could see some light through the stone at all. He froze and stared into the air in front of him with a face that got more and more pale.

Thranduil grasped him by his shoulder and shook him, rather violently. " Elhedran?! What is it?"

The young prince squeaked, his eyes enormous and dark. " My brother is found, but…but Alagir…he is in danger! And the evil one is coming! He will be here soon! I can see it, I can see it all, it has to be the ring!"

Andarë stared at the pale prince. " Who is it, answer me!"

Elhedran only whispered. "He has disguised himself as Daeradar's butler, he will kill daeradar and take the crown. He has magic, he has disguised himself as other elves too, he has got dark wicked magic!"

Thranduil and Galion stared at each other, they swallowed and blinked. "Then, what do we do?"

Alagir was riding back as fast as his horse could run, the animal was panting but it had been well rested and was capable of running very fast for a long time yet. Alagir shouted to the mare to make her speed up even more and the horse stumbled over a root, Alagir found his balance again but felt a burning pain searing across his back just as he lurched forward to grasp the reins again. He jerked and grasped the mane, tried to pull the mare over to the right but the horse made a moaning sound and stumbled yet again.

The reason was easy to see, an arrow had lodged itself it its chest and the poor horse snorted blood and fell onto her knees. Alagir tried to jump off and run for cover but his foot got stuck in the stirrup and the mare tilted over to her side as she drew her last breath. He got trapped with a leg underneath the dead horse and he couldn't reach his bow.

He saw a figure approaching from the dark underneath the canopy, a tall blonde figure which had an uncanny resemblance to his father except from one thing. The ellon had tattooed his face so it looked almost like a skull! Alagir just stared, the mad elf would kill him for sure and he had to be mad for no elf would mutilate his face like that. The tall elf lifted his bow again and aimed at Alagir, grinning as he did it and the prince brazed himself for the last pain of his life but he could suddenly hear the sound of approaching hooves and the enemy hissed and turned around, disappeared into the wood again and Alagir could hear the sound of a horse galloping away.

Some warriors came riding hard along the path and they held their horses when they saw the prince. They quickly dismounted and got him free from the horse but he felt weird. Dizzy and light headed and he felt blood running down his back. " My lord, you must have been grazed by an arrow."

The bastard had wished to shoot him? He wasn't at all surprised but the burning sensation got stronger by the minute. " Yes, a poisoned one, get me back fast. And ride for my father's life too. He is in mortal danger now!"

The warriors got him back onto a horse and one of the lighter smaller ellyn got up behind him, cradling him against his chest. Alagir wasn't afraid to die, instead he felt a sort of burning anger and he swore that he would live to see that monster dead. They spurred their horses and pushed the animals off the track, the warriors knew the forest like the back of their own hands and they also knew shortcuts to the palace few others knew existed. It was a hard ride and a very dangerous one but their horses were brave and sure footed and they rode straight through dense brush and across rivers in full gallop. They could not be too late.

Gilorn couldn't do anything more regarding the king and their discovery. Now he had to consider his first patient, Orodhran was so terribly weak and he feared that they had come too late after all. The young ellon was barely breathing and the warriors who had chosen to stay helped him when he needed extra arms to keep the prince steady. They moved forth but painfully slow and Gilorn was gritting his teeth. They would be too late for sure.

They were about to cross a small river when a group of avari elves suddenly appeared on the opposite shore, their leader was a very dark skinned ellon with tribal tattoos and a long wild mane of hair and Gilorn knew him. " Erist, we need help. We have found the prince but I doubt that we can get him back to the palace alive. And the monster is on the loose, the king is in danger!"

The avarin elf waded across the river and stared at the emaciated young ellon. " By the mother of the forest, this is terrible."

Gilorn nodded. " Do you have any athelas?"

The ellon nodded and opened a pouch in his belt, pulled out some dried leaves and Gilorn swiftly opened his water bottle and crushed the leaves into it. It left the unmistakable smell of the potent herb and he then made the young prince swallow a few drops. Eris put his hand on the prince's forehead. " He is fading, his Fëa struggling to break free. "

Gilorn moaned. " I know, that beast deserves to be eaten by orcs for this."

Eris swallowed. "There is one thing we can do, a magic we know but it isn't very pleasant."

Gilorn looked eager. " What?"

Eris looked down. " We can trap the Fëa within the body, he cannot die but it is regarded as a most foul deed among us. A dying soul should never be forced to stay."

Gilorn hesitated, he knew that Orodhran probably had suffered terribly at the hands of the enemy and that the poor youth probably was severely traumatized. But he could sail couldn't he? At least he would be alive and the family could say their goodbyes, the enemy wouldn't have won yet another victory. He nodded firmly. " Do it, there is no other choice at this point."

Eris sent Gilorn a rather dark glance but some others came forth and they lifted the dying young ellon off the horse, then they placed him on the ground and Eris started to chant. Gilorn didn't understand the words, they were probably in the secret language of the Avari tribes and the healer felt slightly dizzy and disoriented. The very air around them became filled with magic, a vibrant and living type of magic that left him with a tingling sensation all over. Eris voice became powerful, mighty. It filled the atmosphere there and Gilorn felt that the breeze that had been blowing through the trees disappeared, everything fell deathly quiet and it was so unnatural it made the hairs stand up at the back of his neck. Eris pronounced one final word, it came slowly and he exaggerated it a lot and then there was a sort light descending from above and it sort of enveloped Orodhran's body. Eris sighed. " He is trapped now, until you can get him home and heal him properly."

Gilorn sighed. " That might be hard enough, the enemy may already be back at the palace and the daughter told me to seek the truth with the hidden ones. I have no clue about what she meant by that."

Eris grinned, a wry grin. " Oh but you do, what you see, you see in reverse."

Gilorn frowned. " I beg your pardon?"

Eris just shrugged. " I have said enough, ride now, hurry. Your hands will be needed again, Alagir is wounded."

Gilorn swore and moaned. " Oh Eru, Please no, this is getting just too much."

Eris nodded. " It is, but it all ends today"

Gilorn got Orodhran back onto the horse and they pushed their horses hard. They had to make it in time.

Alagir and the warriors also rode like the wind and they reached the palace but by then Alagir was already delirious and the ellyn carried him straight to the healing ward. Two of the ellyn ran to the king's chambers to tell him his grandson was found and to tell him that the culprit had killed many and were able to shape shift. It could be anyone, quite literally.

They hadn't seen any sign of anybody reaching the palace before them but that didn't mean that the enemy wasn't there. He could have left his horse in the woods and walked on foot and everybody knew that there were several secret entrances to the palace. As the kings butler the mad elf could easily have found them all. And whence inside he could have disguised himself as a servant or someone else nobody would suspect of foul play.

The guards surrounding the king's chambers were in high alert, nobody were to enter and the palace went into a lock down. The huge gates were closed and just those who could prove to be who they claimed to be would be allowed entrance. The atmosphere was tense and desperate and the king himself beside himself with worry. Alagir was very ill and he knew that Orodhran was close to death as well. Oropher had never been so desperate before, nor as bewildered. What in the name of Eru was he to do? He felt a terrible rage burning within his chest but he also felt fear. This could be the end of his reign and he knew that this enemy could ruin the realm completely.

Thranduil and Galion and Elhedran had sought cover in their chamber, they sat there and tried to figure out how to use the ring for more than just visions of things going on in other places. If that was all that it could do it was indeed a very poor tool, and not one they would have guessed that the maiar queen of Doriath would bother putting into that chest. Altarë was thinking hard. " Oh for Eru's sake, Melian was infamous for many things, there has to be something which can give us a clue to what that ring really is capable of. "

Elhedran shook his head and stared down at the floor, he felt his heart race and he was trying to remember anything but he didn't. They heard running feet in the corridor outside and Andarë peeped out through the door, saw several running servants and asked one what was going on? The ellon quickly told her that Alagir was wounded and that Orodhran was found but that he was close to death as well. Thranduil let out a small gasp and Elhedran went pale. Andarë sat down, stared at her hands. " Eru, what are we to do? We have to know what it is that really is going on!"

Elhedran got back onto his feet. " Alagir is in the infirmary, I can go there and if he is conscious he could perhaps be able to tell me more!"

Altarë hissed. " That may be very dangerous young one, if the enemy is here you could become a target as well."

Elhedran took a deep breath. " I know of a secret way into the infirmary, one that only Gilorn knows about. It was built in case of a fire and it is hidden by a cupboard. I can get in without being seen."

Thranduil nodded, his eyes distant for a moment. " Go then, see what you can gather of information. It is crucial that we do whatever we can to protect the king."

Elhedran didn't hesitate and he ran out of the door like a bunny. The two stared at each other, they would have wanted to follow him but it would look odd if the prince dragged them behind him everywhere he went. They could just pray that he didn't run into any sorts of trouble.

Gilorn and the warriors reached the gates and were let inn, Gilorn was well known and everybody saw that Orodhran was close to death. The warriors immediately went to help their brethren guard the palace and Gilorn rushed to the infirmary. He was terrified to see that Alagir was poisoned and he didn't even know what type of poison it was that had been used so he gave the ellon every type of antidote he had. Alagir was conscious, he was in great pain but he had managed to stay awake and that was a good sign. The arrow hadn't lodged itself in his flesh, just cut through it so maybe he hadn't gotten a full dose.

Gilorn went to get some herbs to put into the bandages and Alagir was leaning back against the pillows, he felt darn helpless and he was. There was nothing he could do except wait for the end of this. They had to find that terrible monster but how? He jerked when he suddenly heard a scraping sound and saw that the cupboard that stood against the far wall moved. He braced himself but it was Elhedran and Alagir let out a small gasp. " You shouldn't be here!"

Elhedran grasped his uncle's hand, pressed it gently. " I have to, what have happened? "

Gilorn returned and gasped too when he saw that the young prince was there. " Elhedran, you are in danger!"

Elhedran nodded. " I know, you don't need to tell me that. What is going on?"

Gilorn made sure that nobody else could enter the room and he kept his voice low. " Your grandfather's half brother has killed many elves, he is a shape shifter and he has kept Orodhran captive just for his own sick pleasure. Now he is after the king."

Elhedran tilted his head. " Thought that much yes, what does the population know?"

Gilorn almost growled. " Only that Orodhran is found and that Alagir is wounded too."

Elhedran took a deep breath. " The two ellith have helped me, a lot. We found the seal and it was on a chest in the vaults. We checked and it contained a ring and a dagger, both must have belonged to Melian. The dagger can remove magic from everything it touches and the ring gave me a vision of Alagir being hurt and showed me the culprit but it has to have some other powers too."

Gilorn frowned. " Those two ellith are indeed very helpful, I wonder why?"

Elhedran shrugged. " I don't know, but I trust them. I trust them with my life, they are kind and although they are kind of weird I like them both."

Gilorn cocked his head, remembered Eris words, the world in reverse? His eyes suddenly got wide with realization, he understood it now. Two tall ugly ellith, the reverse of that had to be two tall handsome ellyn and he immediately knew just who those ellyn were. Who else could it really be. He could have howled with relief but didn't show it at all. Now they had to use all this to their advantage.

Gilorn turned to Elhedran, whispered to him. " Listen, get the two friends of yours to the observatory, you know of what I speak right?"

Elhedran nodded. It was a room at the very top of the palace and it had a nice glass roof. Nobody used it except in the winter months, the rest of the year it was used to store furniture and art nobody used. " Yes, I can."

Gilorn patted his back. " Great, I think I may know what that ring was used for, I was alive back then remember? And Melian was more than once seen two places at the same time and I find it hard to believe that even a maiar is capable of that without some help."

Elhedran looked eager. " You have a plan?"

Gilorn smiled. " Yes, I do have a plan, but it depends upon that ring, and the element of surprise. Your grand father's uncle hates him, hates the whole family with a vengeance, I trust that hate to distort his thoughts and mind enough to blind him. "

Elhedran looked confused but the healer showed the young ellon into the open door and whispered. " And remember, keep it all a secret, let nobody see you, any of you!"

Elhedran grinned. " Consider it done"

He scurried through the hidden passage like a bunny and Gilorn closed it behind him. Alagir was groaning in pain and Gilorn looked very determined. " Alagir, I am going to put you under, in fact I am going to put you into a state where you appear to be dead. It will be scary but it is for the sake of us all. Can you accept that?"

Alagir hissed but nodded. " Why?"

Gilorn got to a small chest and removed a tiny bottle from it, it was dark in color and looked ominous. " Because I will make the enemy believe that he has won, that the only obstacle left is the king and Elhedran and Elhedran is so young I bet that twisted son of a bitch thinks he can manipulate him. Wiping out the entire royal family may turn the people against him, he cannot afford that. "

Alagir winced, it felt like fire within his veins and he nodded. " Alright, what will you tell the population?"

Gilorn worked frantically, he measured out two drops from the bottle in a glass of water and added also some other herbs. " That you died, it will cause a lot of grief but it is needed, the joy will be that much greater when they realize that it was just a well planned lie. "

Alagir swallowed. " Orodhran?"

Gilorn smiled swiftly. " Is almost dead but he cannot die, the avari stopped him, took him out of the very fabric of time. To everybody he will appear to be dead."

Alagir felt scared but he knew that this would be the ultimate test of his courage. " You are probably a target too now, you know!"

Gilorn nodded solemnly. " Oh yes, but as soon as the king is dead it doesn't matter anymore, for then he has the power and can do whatever he like, banish everybody who knows or have them executed or worse. He is just waiting I bet, for the perfect moment and we will most certainly provide him with it. "

Alagir frowned. " Hu?!"

Gilorn grinned viciously. " Oh yes, and we will be waiting."

He held the cup towards Alagir's lips and the prince drank. " Will it hurt?"

Gilorn shook his head. " No, not at all, it will be like being asleep. Worry not, as dead you are safer than anybody else here right now."

Alagir felt himself slipping away already. " Good luck, save ada"

Gilorn squeezed his hand gently. " Will do!"

Alagir drifted off and his breath seemed to stop and his heartbeat was so weak only a skilled healer could detect it. Gilorn smiled and nodded and had Orodhran's stretcher brought into the same room, he gathered his other healers around him and the elves stared at him, they all trusted their leader and would follow his orders. " My friends, this is very important. You must pretend as if we have lost both Alagir and Orodhran, that both have perished. I will place guards by the door and two of you will stay here at all time, just as if it was a real wake. Wash them and put a sheet over them each and follow the rituals. Before anybody realize that there won't be a funeral this should be over, one way or the other."

The other healers looked at each other and Gilorn smiled. " One more thing, each of you will come up to me and I will whisper a word into your ear, you are not to say that word to anybody and if I ask you will repeat it back to me. I have to make sure that you indeed are who you appear to be."

They all agreed and Gilorn hurried to do it. He gave each one a secret word and then he made his most trusted co workers prepare the bodies as if they were dead for real. He sent a couple of guards out to spread the word and then he himself went towards the king's rooms to deliver the news. It all stood or fell with the kings self-control. Oropher was known for being a passionate person who showed his feelings rather openly, but Gilorn also knew that he could be a very good actor. He went up the stairs with an expression of immense grief and he already heard the first laments and females crying. He felt terrible for fooling people thus but it was the only way, the mad elf had to think that he had succeeded after all.

The guards let him in after having checked him for hidden weapons, they checked everybody now, even the kings closest friends. Oropher was in bed, resting and he looked ashen grey and he was trembling ever so slightly. Gilorn sat down on the bed, very gently and Oropher stared at him, the eyes were filled with desperate hope and Gilorn took a deep breath and prepared to do something he hadn't done for ages. Back in the days of Doriath politics had been a very delicate affair and also sometimes downright dangerous. Letters and correspondence were often intercepted and you couldn't really say what was on your mind unless you were really unafraid or someone with next to no influence at all. The solution had been a very sophisticated system of signs, it was well developed and intricate and even the smallest gesture would mean something and Gilorn knew that Oropher had learned it when he was a young noble man under Thingol's rule.

Gilorn caught the kings gaze and pretended to pull his hair back a bit, as of it was in the way but he did it with his little finger at an odd angle. Oropher's eyes immediately got wide, he recognized the gesture. ( Somebody may be listening, do not believe what I am to say to you from now forth)

Oropher sighed and straightened his left sleeve, then he shook his collar a bit, as if it was too tight. All normal things to do, gestures that didn't mean anything to people not grown up within the dense atmosphere of Doriath. ( I am listening.)

Gilorn sighed and closed his eyes. " My king, I am sorry to inform you that your son and grandson didn't make it, they have left for the halls"

Oropher let out a wailing sound that did indeed sound very convincing but he closed his right eye for a second while he grasped Gilorn's right hand, as if he was clinging on for dear life. Gilorn shook it gently and put his left hand on top of the king's, raised his chin, tilted his head and blinked twice. ( Not true, expect visitors soon.)

The king sobbed and tears were streaming down his face but his eyes were fierce. ( Who?)

Gilorn let his hand slide across his thigh, thumb towards his crotch, then towards his knee. (Kin, half brother)

Oropher disguised his gasp as another sob but Gilorn saw the flames within his eyes. He got up and touched the king's shoulder gently. " I am so sorry old friend"

The king appeared to be completely broken but Gilorn sent yet another signal. ( Trust no-one, help is coming)

Oropher didn't answer, he curled up in the bed and was sobbing loudly and Gilorn exited the room swiftly, as if he couldn't bare staying there for even a moment longer. He ran towards the infirmary but when he saw that nobody was watching he quickly skipped into a hidden door. There were a whole world of hidden passages within this vast palace and the healers knew all of them since they often had to use them to get to a patient in time when the normal passageways and corridors were clogged with people.

Gilorn ran towards the observatory, now it all depended upon his hunch. He hoped by Eru that he was right, that these two ellith indeed were who he thought they were. Then that bastard would get the surprise of a lifetime, and an extraordinarily nasty one too. He almost had to grin when he was thinking of it.

Yes, that monster was in for a very unpleasant experience indeed, and afterwards he would enjoy to see that darn ellon executed for his ghastly crimes. Today would be a day worth remembering until the Dagor Dagorath.


	10. a warg in sheeps clothing

Chapter 10: A warg in sheeps clothing…

Elhedran had managed to get back to the two ellith unseen by anyone, he was almost panting as he ran into the chamber and the two stared at him with nervous anticipation. " Now, what news?"

Elhedran caught his breath, he stared at them. " Alagir was poisoned, and Orodhran is close to death too, but Gilorn has a plan. We have to get to the observatory right now, he will be waiting for us there"

Altarë and Andarë looked at each other and shrugged. " Very well then, let's go"

They left the chambers and Elhedran showed them the way, they heard wailing sounds and heard crying too and Elhedran swallowed hard. He knew that Gilorn probably had done something in order to confuse the enemy. The observatory was empty, not even a single lamp was lit there and Elhedran told them to be quiet. The room could be seen from below if they used any lights and they sat down in a couch covered with sheets to wait.

Altarë felt how a tingling sensation was spreading all through the body, it ended this day, one way or the other. The dagger was powerful but only if the wielder knew how to use it, and the ring was probably no less useful. Maybe Gilorn knew how to make use of it? They could hope!

They didn't have to wait for long before Gilorn made his appearance, he had pulled the coat of some guard over himself to hide his face and he gestured towards them to make sure they didn't speak out loud. " Elhedran, ladies, or should I rather say ellyn? Yes, I think I am pretty sure of who you really are!"

Andarë coughed and Altarë made a grimace. " You are right, we are in disguise, Radagast helped us."

Gilorn nodded. " Great, as you both are aware of the king is in great danger, so are we all. I have made Alagir and Orodhran appear to be dead and the culprit will think that the king is the only obstacle left."

Altarë sighed. " Yes, he is the ultimate goal, so what are we to do?"

Gilorn held out a hand. " Let me see that ring."

Altarë handed it over and Elhedran was staring at the tall elleth with narrow eyes. " You are in disguise? Then who the hell are you?"

Altarë had a sheepish expression on her face and Gilorn answered for them. " Your oldest uncle and his trusted friend Galion"

Elhedran blinked and stared at them in disbelief" Oh damn, that is one hefty disguise!"

Altarë nodded. " Yes, I know, Radagast is good at this."

Gilorn got the ring and held it very carefully. " Yes, I am rather sure I know what this thing really is, Melian used it rather often. I need all of you to do what I say, and I need you to be brave and follow my plan. It is the only chance we have. Oropher's half brother may be mad but he is smart too and we have to confuse him, throw him off balance."

Altarë frowned. " I am afraid I don't understand?"

Gilorn nodded slowly. " Do not worry, I will explain every detail. We do not know who he is disguised as right now but we will flush him out. He will see something he cannot ignore."

Andarë held her breath and her eyes were filled with determination but also a bit fear. "What then?"

Gilorn smiled, a rather nasty smile. He held the ring between his fingers very gently and then he put it onto his thumb. He appeared to shiver and suddenly they saw Beria standing there. Elhedran gasped and the vision disappeared again. " Ghosts my friends, we will make him see ghosts"

He had a strange fire flickering within his gaze. " And the two of you will be bait as well, is there any way of letting him see you for who you really are without you having to remove the disguise entirely?"

Galion walked over to a small vanity in a corner and removed a mirror from it, held it up so that they all could see that his face was his own when it was reflected. Gilorn grinned widely. "Splendid, absolutely awesome. This ought to ruffle his feathers for real"

Thranduil felt a bit confused. " I have never known that my father had a half-brother, nobody has ever mentioned it."

Gilorn nodded. " Because it was all a part of Thingol's schemes, and Melian was in on it too. They used the method of divide and conquer quite a lot those two and I know Melian used the ring rather viciously in some cases. If you can spread distrust and keep people from organizing themselves and gaining power then much is gained if the one in charge is the one who will benefit from it all."

Thranduil folded his arms across his chest. " We just wanted to save the family we had left, we didn't know it was this bad. So, what are we to do?"

Gilorn leaned forth, the glimpse within his eyes got almost malicious. " Listen up, I will make sure that everybody gathers in the main hall, it contains a lot of mirrors, and it can be guarded too. I will make sure that your father is kept safe and informed of our little plan, and the bastard will face a rather different opponent than he anticipates."

They all gathered close and Gilorn whispered his plan to them. It was brilliant, if they could make it work. But they had to know exactly where to be at the right moment and nothing could be left to chance. But finally they had the chance to fight back, to do something real and Thranduil let out a huge sigh, it felt as if all the tension and anxiety left him to be replaced by a burning desire to protect his father, his family and his people. He was older now than when he left, more experienced and far wiser and also more cunning. It was something he aimed to use to his benefit and use it well.

The palace was filled with grieving elves and it was said that the king had collapsed completely when he heard of the death of Alagir and Orodhran, nobody doubted that. Now Elhedran was the only family he had left and everybody wondered if his law brother would make it since he still was unconscious and if the one behind his attack ever would be found. And the guards had kept their secret so nobody had been told of the dead elves they had found in the woods or the fact that the one behind all of this was kin to the king and able to transform himself into anybody he wanted to be.

Gilorn had been right in his assumptions, some of the corpses they had found had served a very sinister purpose, the magic used by Oropher's half-brother required that he had to kill the person he wanted to look like if he was to keep the appearance of that body for more than a few hours at a time. So the butler had to die, and so did some other poor unfortunate souls too, he had to fool the avarin shamans into teaching him more. To him others were just things to be used and discarded off whence their usefulness was over and he didn't even consider them as anything else than tools.

One of the council members had announced that everybody was to gather in the great hall to participate in a shared prayer for the souls of the two deceased ellyn and everybody hurried to get there in time. The room was soon very crowded and a couple of silvan shamans were leading the prayers and laments. Nobody paid attention to the guards who stood along the walls nor the servants who humbly kept to the background. Among them was one elleth with long brown hair and a sweet face, she appeared to be in tears like everybody else but in truth she was close to bursting into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Stealing this shape was easy, he was only going to use it for a few hours anyhow so all he needed to do was to touch the person just once. The real elleth was down in the kitchens doing the dishes and didn't know that she had been copied.

He was so close now, those darn princes were dead and good riddance and even if that old nag Gilorn were snapping at his heels he wouldn't have time to do anything. After all, the healer couldn't know who he was. All he needed was to get close to the old moron and touch him and then he would gain access to the king, it would be easy. He was watching how Gilorn pushed his way through the crowd and hid his tiny smile. Soon! As the healer passed by he let his hand slide along his arm, just touching the fabric of his tunic but that would be enough, he could take Gilorn's form whenever he wanted to. In the crowd the healer didn't even notice and he stayed in the back, waiting for the right moment to act.

Suddenly there was a guard running towards Gilorn and he looked very excited and the door was left ajar behind him so everybody could see that there was someone standing outside in the corridor, supported by two of the healers. It was the king's law brother, damnation?! Had the ellon pulled through? Oh no, he would most certainly know, things had to happen fast, faster than planned. He was about to leave the room when he lifted his gaze and stared at one of the many mirrors that adorned the wall, they were expensive like hell and made the hall look greater than it really was and it also added a lot of light to the room.

He froze, in the mirror he saw someone that couldn't be there, someone who had been gone for centuries! He spun around, stared at the crowd, no, he didn't see anyone looking like that now. Just dark haired silvans and nobody even resembling that darn prince. He was just overwrought, his nerves were playing tricks on him. Gilorn were making gestures and speaking to the guards and the elleth sneaked past the guards and headed towards the nearest exit. Then he suddenly saw something rather terrifying yet again, there was a stairway leading up towards the second floor of the building and on it stood an elleth who could only be the king's late daughter. What was going on?

He turned and walked towards the servants quarters and some of the young squires ran past him, obviously eager to fetch wine for the assembled crowd. He ignored them, only to see Orodhran staring back at him in a mirror at the end of the corridor, when he turned around there was nobody there, just a couple of ellith chatting about something. He had to get to the king, now! Before Gilorn could stop his plans, before that darn law brother revealed what he knew. The king's will would be seen as a fake then, and everything would have been for nothing. It had to be stopped. He turned around and ran towards the hall again, he had to find Gilorn and kill him before he told the king anything, and then he had to hide the body and kill the king too. It wasn't too late. There was a swift glint of silvery gold in a mirror and he swore he saw yet another ghost, the first of the king's son's he had killed. The spider venom had been a good trick indeed.

Was this place haunted all of a sudden? He felt his heart race, something was going on, something odd. Why was he seeing all this? Was his magic failing somehow? He heard the other elves singing in the hall and he managed to get back in, it was so crowded there, damn! He had to push his way through the crowd and froze. The guard by the door, hadn't he seen him before? He bore a striking resemblance to that servant who had followed Thranduil everywhere, but then again, no. At a second glance there was no resemblance at all. He looked up at the dais with the shamans and almost squeaked, nobody else seemed to notice but Thranduil was standing on the other side of the raised platform, he could see his reflection in the mirrors on the other side. This could not be true, he pushed his way forth, some stared at him with anger but saw only a very distraught young elleth and this disguise was really a good one. He managed to get to the other side but there were no tall blonde ellon there, just one of those noldorin ellith, damn how ugly that female was.

He backed away, feeling how the confusion and nervous tension made him sweat, he had to get out of there and gather his thoughts. The singing and the other sounds he heard made him feel jumpy and he got out of the hall once more. Stopped by a small table and picked up a glass of wine from a tray someone had left there, it was filled with crystal glasses and the wine was nice, it had to be for the king himself. He grinned and downed the wine in one gulp, it tasted heavenly and he sighed and managed to gather his senses. He stood there and wondered what he was to do now when he suddenly saw Gilorn leave the hall again, he spoke to two of the healers and they left towards the infirmary while Gilorn headed towards the royal wing of the palace. This was it, this was his moment to strike, he couldn't hesitate now!

He saw that the healer walked rather slowly towards the stairs that were leading up towards the kings own chambers and there were no guards there. He didn't have any weapons but he did have the empty wine bottle that was left on the table and there were many small rooms along the corridor. He grasped the bottle and took a deep breath. This wasn't sophisticated, nor was it very elegant but it was efficient. He waited until Gilorn had passed him by, then he tossed the heavy bottle at the ellon and hit him in the head. The healer fell like a tree and was dragged into one of the rooms. He would come too soon but then it would all be over, and the healer would be unable to do anything more.

Now, this was it, this was the moment he had waited for so long. He could have killed the king earlier of course but he had to get rid of any rivals and he had to make sure that the will would ensure that he was the sole heir of the king, that nobody would be able to question his right to rule. They would all pay for what they had done to him, for the losses, the grief and the title that should have been his in the first place. He would let Elhedran live for now, it would provide him with a hostage if the other realms started to cause problems and the prince was yet not fully mature, easy enough to control. And pretty, there was no sense in denying that fact. He wasn't as gorgeous as his brother had been but he was fair enough for some fun. Yes, that last prince would most certainly warm his bed rather well, when he was broken inn. That would be a pleasure too.

He mumbled the words that would transform him and walked towards the king's chambers as if he had every right to be there. The guards would only see Gilorn and he blessed the day he discovered those old magical rites. They had provided him with a golden opportunity to seek vengeance. A couple of ladies of the court passed him by and he smiled at them and did a small bow, just as Gilorn would have done. There were many very beautiful ellith in the palace, he would make sure to bring them all to his bed when he was made king. They giggled and blushed and he saw that they had been crying recently but that was to be expected. One was carrying an embroidery frame and a small basked with equipment and she blinked and lifted her hand, she had a small cut on her palm and it was bleeding a bit. " I cut my hand on my thread cutter, do you think there will be a scar?"

He stared at the hand the way a real healer would, he couldn't have cared less but he had to stay in character now. " No my dear, it will heal very well I am sure. Just make sure to keep it clean"

The elleth nodded and smiled again and he decided that she absolutely was one he wanted to bed, perhaps even more than once. Oh he would really enjoy himself when that idiot Oropher was dead and gone. " I am glad to hear that, the cutter laid in my basket and I didn't see it so I almost ruined my embroidery with blood."

She pulled out a small dagger that had to be the most ghastly thing he had ever seen, he knew that the ladies all carried such idiotic tools and he just smiled and thought to himself that the one making this one had to have been colorblind or something. Every square inch of it was covered with gems and the blade was so small it couldn't hurt a fly. " I would suggest that you put something over the blade to protect those soft white hands of yours my lady, "

She nodded vigorously. " Oh yes, that is a good idea, thank you"

He just nodded again and kept walking, he didn't want to wait any longer now, victory was near. Soon this realm would have a new king, and screw the ghosts and the strange visions. He walked towards the door leading to the king's chamber with confidence and the guards just bowed their heads and let him inn. He fought the urge to laugh, this was just too easy. It would be like stealing a piece of candy from a kid.

The chambers of the king were grand and there were some servants scurrying around, all appeared to be very busy and a page ran past him and into the inner rooms carrying what had to be a pile of blankets and a bowl of apples. He managed to keep his expression neutral, the king had to stay in his private room and he slowly made his way towards it. He felt his heart hammering within his chest, his palms were sweaty and he shivered all over. This was the moment of truth, now everything would change. The king trusted his healer, it ought to be so easy slipping something into his wine and then watch him die.

He was let into the room, Oropher sat in a chair by the fireplace and he looked truly broken, almost aged like an old adan. He just stared at the flames and didn't seem to notice that someone had entered at all. His mind was obviously elsewhere. Good, very good. There was a carafe filled with red wine standing on a small table at the back of the room and he walked towards it, just casually, opened it and poured some wine into a tall glass, managed to remain completely relaxed all the time. He slipped a tiny amount of white powder into the carafe as he closed it, it had been hidden inside of a ring he wore, the gem on it was hollow and could be removed.

"My liege, would you want some wine too?"

Oropher seemed to jerk, as if he hadn't been aware of the fact that he wasn't alone. "No…yes…"

He poured some more wine into a new glass, carried it along and handed it over to the king who took it with shaking hands. Oropher stared at the wine and his gaze was glazed, distant. "I have made a decision, one that will change everything"

The voice was a bit odd, pressed perhaps. " Is that so?"

He managed to keep his voice calm, almost indifferent but the tension was causing him to tremble ever so slightly. Drink it damn it, do it! His inner voice was impatient and he sighed with relief as he saw that the king emptied the glass in one go. Finally, it would work in a few moments. "Yes, I have changed my will, there are things I haven't told anyone, and now they are of importance."

He almost spun around like a top, had to control himself not to reveal his shock. The will was changed? Damn it, that could ruin everything. " I am sure that is a wise decision my king, but may I ask why?"

The poison ought to be working by now, damn it, was that stubborn old ellon that strong still?

Oropher tilted his head, his eyes had a peculiar shine to them, and he had a hint of a smirk around his mouth. " Of course, but why so formal my friend? You have always called me by name haven't you?"

Shite, he should have paid more attention to the meetings between the king and the healer. "This are dire times, I just deem it appropriate to be formal since this is a day of grief. "

The king nodded and seemed to grasp his stomach, he looked a bit confused. Finally, yes! This would be sweet. " No such need, formalities are not for those who are close now are they? No matter the circumstance."

Oropher walked closer to the fireplace, he was still standing straight and that peculiar grin hadn't left his face. The poison ought to have him writhing on the floor by now, hadn't it worked? Was there something wrong with it? " I guess so my liege?"

Oropher leaned against the mantelpiece, he stared at the flames. "You know, we have all been fooled for days, yes, tricked by clever minds. We have had people under our roof who weren't who they appeared to be."

What was this? " Uh, I beg your pardon my liege? What do you mean?"

Oropher seemed completely unaffected by the poison? Damnation, he had to do something. The king seemed to almost laugh? " Oh, you will see."

Oropher lifted a small bell and rang it and the door opened, in came Gilorn and one of those ugly noldorin ellith. He froze, stared at Gilorn, hadn't he knocked him out completely? Oropher stared at him and the smile was vicious. " We know who you are, and we know what you have done"

The elleth held a tiny object, it was the tread cutter he had seen in the hands of the wounded elleth. " You see, this isn't just any small dagger, it belonged to Melian once, and it removes magic."

She made a strange gesture with it and he shivered, a strange energy seemed to rush through him and he stared at himself, the disguise was gone. Oropher tilted his head. " Oh, I see you wonder about the poison? The wine contains a potion that neutralizes every known poison and since you have a certain fondness of spider venom we anticipated that."

By Morgoth's breath, he had to do something, to get out of there. It was just Oropher there and Gilorn and that elleth, he had to act now before they managed to block his escape. He threw himself forward to grasp the elleth but he was met with a fist that connected with his jaw, and with such force he fell backwards towards the wall. The elleth grinned. " I am not as fragile nor as feminine as you may think. You have disguised yourself as other people, but you are not the only one capable of playing that game."

Gilorn stared at him. " Melian left us several gifts I would say, also a shape shifting devise. The ellon you knocked down wasn't me but one of my loyal servants, we have tricked the trickster and this time the cards are on our hands, not yours."

The shock was mind-numbing and he got back up, sneering and not trying to hide his hatred at all. Gilorn had a peculiar expression upon his face. " Oh you were clever, getting the kings firstborn son accused of rape was brilliant, and the way you did it was smart too. But you left marks in the throat of that poor elleth you used to frame him when you murdered her. And then I got suspicious enough to notice other odd things too. Beria's death, the death of her brother, the poisoning of the queens brother…You were sly, but not sly enough!"

He growled. "It ought to be mine, all of it! I was the first born! The right to rule was mine by birth! But it was taken from me, all was taken from me! "

Gilorn just stared at him. " Maybe, but Thingol didn't want you to become the heir of your father, I suppose his wife knew what sort of monster you really were already then."

He laughed, a hoarse ugly laughter. " Monster? No more of a monster than those who laughed at me, turned me down. No more of a monster than those who killed my family, those who refused to help. I lost everything but I intend to have it all back!"

Gilorn smacked his tongue against his teeth. " By murdering your own kin, by using magic so dark and terrible not even Melian herself would have allowed its use, even against the very enemy himself. You are a kinslayer, and Eru have turned his back to you a long time ago. Only sorrow and grief travels in your path and only darkness and death await you"

The ellon standing there in front of them looked terrible, the dark eyes were filled with sheer hatred and the madness shone within them. He looked like a demon and he snarled like a wolf. "There are only the king and his grandson left, I have almost won!"

He pulled a dagger from his belt and leapt towards Oropher, the weakened ellon shouldn't be able to dodge that sudden lightning quick blow but the dagger only hit empty air and a grasp like a vice closed around his wrist, broke it like a rotten twig. When did Oropher get that strong? Or that violent?! A hard fist hit him straight in his solar plexus and sent him back gasping for air and a door opened at the back of the room, it hadn't been there before. Hidden passages! He knew they were there and he had used some of them but he had obviously not known all of them.

He blinked, Oropher entered the room and he stared at two exact copies of the king, which one was the real one. The one who just entered stared at him with sorrow but also wrath. "You have no name, no honor. I curse the day you were born! You could have been my brother but you chose the darkness instead. I curse the very blood in your veins"

He laughed, tried to use his magic but couldn't, the dagger that elleth held obviously blocked it rather well. " Really? I am stronger than you, I would have ruled so much better!"

Oropher shook his head. "The only place you will rule is within nightmares. Oh, and by the way, both Alagir and Orodhran is still alive. And so is my firstborn too"

He hissed. "That spoiled depraved slut of a prince? Oh it was such fun watching him being dragged to his death, just a shame the executioner had gotten himself drunk, I would have enjoyed watching his pretty head roll!"

Oropher smiled, a very narrow hard grin. " My wife was behind that, she knew her son was innocent and I should have believed his words. It is all on you, all the bloodshed, all the tears, all the sorrow."

He snarled and did leap forwards again, tried to grasp Gilorn by the throat with his good hand but the healer just stepped sideways and a hand grasped his neck with brutality and almost lifted him off the floor. A voice whispered into his ear. " You know, I ought to thank you first. I had to flee and because of that I grew and became more than I ever could have been if I had stayed here. So I thank you for my new strength, and wisdom. But you killed my sister, caused my mother to sail and murdered my brother too. I ought to break your neck right now"

He coughed, grinned. " And become a kinslayer too?"

He turned his head, saw how the glamor disguising the person holding him disappeared and now he was staring at Thranduil instead of Oropher. But not Thranduil as he had been, he was broader and the face more mature and the eyes, Eru the eyes. They were terrifying, so cold and hard and they revealed just how much that young prince had changed, he was a warrior now, and probably rather accustomed to fighting and death.

It dawned upon him then, that this elf would and could kill him and he kicked backwards and managed to wrestle himself out of the death grip. He had a small dagger hidden in his boot and tried to grasp it but the tall elleth kicked him in the groin and he fell with a howl of pain, the darkhaired female bared her teeth with a very ugly expression in her eyes. "They say I am ugly but damn it, you would make an orc look like a spring morning"

The real Oropher let out a shout and guards ran into the room, grasped the ellon on the floor and smacked shackles and foot irons onto him before he had time to react. The dark haired elleth smiled and Elhedran appeared behind the guards, he was grinning too. " You can remove the magic now."

The elleth nodded. " At last!"

She whispered something that sounded almost like something rather obscene and suddenly the prisoner saw the crown prince's trusted best friend. " Oh yes, I did use the ring of Melian down in the hall, and Thranduil allowed you to see him too, and the ring also made you see Beria, and Daerion too. Both by the way was Elhedran here. And the ellith in the stairs slowing you down so we could prepare were this lady here and one of my servants. The kings law brother too was one of Gilorn's servants. We used the pages and servants to transport the ring we used back and forth between us the whole time. We were onto you, you see, and you actions were really easy to foresee!"

He let out a shriek of anger, of disappointment. " I ought to have murdered you in your sleep ages ago!"

Oropher tilted his head, the eyes were colder than the helcaraxe. " Oh Achasrion, many have wished they could do that, I guess the valar are on my side after all. But you they have abandoned my brother. The lord of the dead is the only one you will meet and maybe he will hear your pleas but most likely he will ignore them. You are no more an elf than the balrogs of Morgoth!"

Thranduil sent him a vicious smile. " My uncle is still unconscious, I guess he caught you didn't he? He would have known that you were trying to forge ada's will. But he will live too, although so many have been robbed of their lives because of you. I wish I could take your head but where is the justice in that? You caused death and misery with the use of magic and by it you should perish too"

Achasrion tried to spit at the prince but one of the guards backhanded him across the face. "Be silent filth!"

Achasrion laughed, a terrible laugh that truly revealed his madness. " Oh enjoy this, feast upon my demise if you wish, I am sure I will win in the end. My magic is so strong, I can surely trick even Namô himself"

Thranduil smirked. " We'll see about that"

The guards dragged Achasrion away screaming curses and Oropher seemed to shrink, to fall apart. He grasped onto Thranduil and embraced him almost desperately. " Oh Ion nin, I am so sorry, so terribly sorry, I should have believed you back then. It is all my fault!"

Thranduil hugged his father back, feeling close to tears with relief and joy. He was back in his father's arms, it was alright again. It was wonderful and he felt Oropher shake all over. " I was sure I had lost you, that I had lost everybody. "

Thranduil had problems speaking. " I am here now ada, and I will not leave again, ever!"

Gilorn smiled from ear to ear and Galion was letting his tears flow freely now. Elhedran was sniffling and Oropher didn't want to let go of his son but finally he had to. He sat down into the chair and closed his eyes. " To know that this monster is of my kin is making my stomach churn, and to think of how close he was to success is terrifying! "

Gilorn nodded. " Yes, but he was too confident, and he was getting sloppy!"

Oropher grasped Gilorn's hand. " Yes, but still, he would have won if it wasn't for you my old friend. And for the quick thinking of my son and the help of all of you. I am eternally grateful, that beast could have ended the line of our house."

Gilorn smiled and wiped a tear from his eye. " Do not think of it my king, I did my duty, as did we all. Now that monster is under lock and key and he won't be able to escape."

Thranduil had a peculiar grin on his face, his eyes shone with a cold flame and Oropher snickered. " No he won't even though he will believe that he can"

Elhedran looked confused but Oropher just smiled softly. " You will see child, soon enough. Go to your brother now, and your uncle. If the valar wishes they will pull through"

Gilorn bowed. " I will return to my patients now with your permission my king. "

Oropher bowed his head graciously. " Granted Gilorn, and may my every blessing be upon you for what you have done for us"

Gilorn just blushed rather deeply and hurried to run off. Thranduil was feeling as if the world was spinning in front of his eyes, so much had happened, and he was having a feeling of being in the middle of a dream. " Rest now son, and soon we will announce the happy news, my son has returned and the one murdering my family and kin caught. It will be a day to rejoice."

Thranduil had to discretely remove a few tears of his own. " Yes ada, it will"

Two days later, when the happy news had spread throughout the kingdom the kings half brother was taken from the prison and tied to a horse and some guards were given the task of taking him deep into the woods and hang him. It was a most unusual punishment but fitting. Achasrion was swearing and cursing and the entire population watched the small group leave the palace. Many were tossing ripe fruit and all sorts of disgusting things at the prisoner and shouting curses too. Some avarin elves had showed up, they were relatives of his mother and they showed their disgust by turning their backs to him. His mother had been a rather fragile elleth with a mind that always had been teetering on the edge of insanity and the son had inherited that trait, tenfolds.

Thranduil watched as the group left the palace, there was a grin on his face and it wasn't pretty at all. They had some surprises in store for the prisoner, some he couldn't have anticipated at all.

The group rode hard until they reached the deepest parts of the forest far south where the spiders were rather common. They found a tall tree with a suitable branch and was preparing the rope when the mad elf managed to kick the guard holding him and making a run for it. The forest was dark and thick and the guards had been ordered not to follow closely. Achasrion didn't know it but the ring of Melian was now a part of the shackles he wore and now it was activated by one of the guards. And the dirty old robe the prisoner had been given did stink of rotten fruit and old wine but also some pheromones the wood elves knew had a very strong effect on the unwanted pests occupying their land.

Achasrion was laughing to himself, he had managed to get away! He would return one day and then he would seek a vengeance unlike any other. Oh the dark lord himself would certainly take him inn, and he would be powerful once more. He knew that Sauron wasn't dead and wanted to take part in his second coming. Everybody would be crushed for sure.

He ran through the trees and tugged at the shackles, if he only found a rock of a decent size he could bash in the lock and be free and he started looking at the ground and forgot to keep his eyes on the trees. Suddenly something blocked the light and he stopped and raised his gaze only to lay eyes on the hugest spider he had ever seen. It had fangs like swords and the eyes were ruby red and vicious. It clicked its jaws and he heard similar sounds coming from around him, there were spiders everywhere, lured in by the pheromones and they were both hungry and angry.

Achasrion didn't understand, why were they hesitating? Why did they stare like that? Then he felt the shudder of magic and stared into the eyes of the huge spider, saw his own reflection. He saw another spider, another female, another queen! And there is only room for one queen in each colony of spiders! He screamed and turned to run but it was too late now, he realized that he had been tricked as the first spider dug its stinger into him, hissing in anger at seeing a stranger within their territory. He screamed one last time as spiders tore into his flesh, in a frenzy of hunger and rage. " Thranduil, I curse you, you bastard!"

The guards were watching from the trees and when the spiders were done there was nothing left except the shackles and some pieces of torn robe. They retrieved the shackles, then they returned to the palace to tell them that justice had been served. Thranduil kept the ring, it later served him well when he got burned by a dragon and had to hide the scars and the dagger was yet again locked away. One day it could perhaps become useful once more.

The new king of Greenwood sighed and put down his chalice, he was tired but couldn't let anyone see it. After Achasrion's death Gilorn worked like mad to save Alagir and Orodhran and he did in fact succeed but it came with a heavy price. Alagir was soon strong again but he suffered terrible nightmares and Orodhran was so much worse. He was close to fading and Elhedran was terrified of losing his brother. Oropher was suffering as well, he had lost so much and the grief was causing him great harm. And so the decision was made to leave for the undying lands. Alagir left with his still unconscious fiancé, hoping she would recover in Aman. Elhedran followed his brother and Oropher was hoping to meet his wife again and perhaps get over the terrible events of the last centuries.

Thranduil's uncle woke up again and recovered but he too decided to sail when he had taught Thranduil all he could about ruling a realm. The only ones left was Gilorn and Galion and Thranduil was greatly grateful they could be relied upon for he was so alone and so uncertain of himself. But he was doing well so far, he was a better person than he had been and he was loved by the people. Yes the future did look bright.

He walked over to the balcony and stared at the stars above, they shone like jewels and he threw a quick glance at the table in the middle of his room. Upon it was a box containing some very precious gems and he had to smile, a very soft smile. Two weeks after his coronation some silvan elves had visited to pay their respect and among them was this one elleth. He had known the moment he first laid eyes upon her and he only felt sad his father hadn't met her. She was the new light in his life and Galion had laughed and patted his back when he told his new butler of his feelings. Galion assured him that she would agree upon being courted by the new king for what elleth wouldn't , and Galion swore that he would serve Thranduil until the day he too set sail. The butler had even made jokes about the future of the house of Oropher, with such a pretty and healthy young elleth by his side Thranduil would most certainly give Fëanor a run for his money when it came to the size of his family and then Thranduil blushed like a beet and chased his butler out of the room with the poker he used for the fireplace.

He had sent a huge load of stuff to Radagast as a thank you and the wizard sent a letter back that it took Thranduil two weeks to interpret, the words looked as if they had been tossed at the paper but the wizard appeared to be very pleased so then everything was alright. But he did politely ask if they could return the dresses. Thranduil had done so, and added some extra corsets and stockings and stuff and he had to chuckle when he imagined Aiwendil wearing it all.

Thranduil made sure that the graves of his brother and sister were taken care of, and he mourned them deeply but slowly the grief faded until it was just a ghost of what it had been. He was king now, and couldn't think of his own personal feelings anymore. The people came first and he had indeed come a long way from the immature pleasure seeking young prince he had once been. He was a king, and a good one too, and soon he would impact the fate of the entire realm with his trusted butler by his side. He had been through hell and gotten hardened like a good blade is forged in the fire and in the years to come his strength became legendary. But he never stopped missing his parents and his kin and only the presence of his wife and later his son kept that sorrow in check. But he knew he would meet them again, one day he too would set foot upon the shores of Eldamar and then he would yet again hug his father and give his mother a kiss, and perhaps he would meet his lost siblings too.

It was the dream for which he lived, the hope he carried with him every day. It was his strength and his support even in the darkest of times and even when life turned hard and difficult he held his head up high. He was Thranduil of Greenwood, and he would never bow to the forces of darkness again, nobody would ever make him crawl or beg nor surrender. He had learned who he was, he had learned that he was strong. If Achasrion at all left a legacy of anything good it was this, he had managed to turn a prince into a king worthy of respect and if he knew of this he probably writhed in pure anger and frustration, wherever he was.

The end

 _ **To every follower and everyone leaving comments, thank you so much, you are the greatest! I mean it! Sorry you had to wait so long for this final chapter but I have worked like mad lately so I haven't had as much time available for writing as I would like. But here it is, the end of this tale, I hope you will like it. Bless you all.**_


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